Unexpected
by SabrinaYutsuki
Summary: Van's new in Hitomi's school and finds love in the wrong place. He doesn't realize that maybe sometimes, the right person for someone is the one that person least expects... (AU high school fic VH)
1. Default Chapter

Unexpected ACT 1: Meet my cousin...

Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin. )  
Comments are VERY welcome!

"Bye Mom, bye Dad"  
"You be good now! And please do go easy on the Jetta! It's been in our family"  
"Since your grandmother... ya I know ma. And I think anyone can tell, too! Bye"  
"Bye Honey! Take care!"

The teenager, 5 feet 5 inches tall, held the car's rusty handle, opened the door with some amount of force, and jumped in the leather seat with a soft thud. Taking her keys from the pocket of her fairly tight flared jeans, she turned on the ignition of the car, and started backing up from the garage of their humble abode, causing her numerous keychains, composing of a small, white skull, a 2-d figure of a chibi Kenshin Himura, and a shiny plate with the word 'Hitomi' embossed in it, to jiggle and make imperceptible sounds as it competed with the loud roar of the car that needed a tune-up badly. The hood of her Jetta was down causing her shoulder-length chestnut hair to sway fiercely in a disorderly manner. 'And my friends wonder why my hair's always in a mess', Hitomi thought smiling.

As the view of her home and her waving parents blurred and slowly disappeared, Hitomi's slender hand reached for the radio, and cranked up the volume. Pretty soon, Jimmy Eat World's "In the Middle" blared up, as Hitomi once again placed her focus back on the open road, bopping her head and tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the contagious beat.

The heat of the sun was causing her to squint, so she got her sunglasses from the glove compartment and placed it on. It was the first day of senior high and summer was still pretty much reigning the sky. But all was good for Hitomi Kanzaki. Her emerald green eyes were dancing with excitement for what this year had to offer for her... not the studies part though (since Hitomi barely liked any of them except for English and Philosophy), but the new people that she was going to meet... She couldn't wait to see her best friends, too - Merle and Dilandau, although she went out with them a couple of times over the summer vacation.

Merle moved to her school just three years ago. She came from the Philippines, which would explain her fair brown skin. There was nothing Filipino about her hair, though, which was dyed a bright pink. Amazingly, it suited her well. As soon as Hitomi met her, they became instant friends. They were both energetic people, Merle especially. Merle was as playful as a cat, or so Hitomi would say. Merle didn't seem to mind the metaphor. Their similarities, however, ended there. Merle loved dressing up and doing all sorts of girly things, like shopping and going to parlors, and getting her nails painted in different colors per week. Her idea of sports was going to every single shop in the mall as quickly and efficiently as she could. Hitomi, on the other hand, preferred what she would call 'more interesting' things, like tarot card reading and track and field. She didn't neglect the way she looked, of course, as she had a sense of fashion as well, although it was definitely more casual compared to Merle's skirts.

As for Dilandau, Hitomi and Merle had asolutely nothing in common with him. If one thing could describe Dilandau it was misunderstood. People found him weird, reckless, violent, dangerous even. His sense of clothing was also different (with his leather pants and his red tanktop). And his hair was just as odd (silver). Some people would go so far as to say he was gay. And though one would like to believe that the saying, "You can't judge a book by its cover" would apply, in his case it didn't. He was everything people perceived him to be (except gay of course). But he was more than that. People close to him knew that he was a loyal and caring friend. People who hurt his friends usually end up getting badly beaten. See? He's a sweet guy.

And those were the top two reasons why she wanted to go back to school - Merle and Dilandau. Because with the two of them, there was sure to be a lot of chaos and fun to get by through what could have been the most boring four years of a person's life in Hitomi's opinion.

The ride to school finally ended as Hitomi screeched to a halt at a parking lot near the school. Grabbing her favorite green duffle bag from the back seat, and grabbing her keys, she made her way towards the school. As she opened the doors to her high school, she could hear boys whistling at her. People were smiling and waving at her. Hitomi felt like she was in the wrong school. Since when did crowds gather before her anyway? She wasn't a popular girl, so why was everyone looking at her...? It couldn't have been her outfit either. She was wearing nothing special... just a normal baby tee, normal pants, and comfortable rubber shoes. Hitomi nervously smiled and waved until her confusion was appeased, when one of the guys suddenly shouted, "Millerna! Babe! You're looking fine as usual!"

Hitomi loked back and realized who the people were all focusing their attention to. Millerna Aston. She was, of course, one of the popular kids in school. And guys just loved her full lips, and her long, silky blonde hair; not to mention, her super model figure. Hitomi heaved a sigh of relief that nobody noticed her blunder. How could they when they're face to face with Millerna? Walking away from the tumultuous crowd that suddenly gathered around the blonde 'princess', she made her way upstairs. She didn't want people to know it but she wished that she would one day get as much attention from people. Shaking the thought away and realizing that it would only turn her into one of 'them' - ditsy, brainless chicks who walk in terribly uncomfortable high heels, she walked through the corridors and felt herself light up at the sight of her best friends. "Hey Merle! Dilandau!"

"Hey 'tomi! You have got to accompany me to the new mall just down the street! I hear they have all the designer labels I love!", Merle said in her preppy voice.  
"'Tomi! Guess what? I went to this rock concert yesterday and the group lit the stage on fire at the end of the scene! It was cool!", Dilandau said, almost like a kid who was let loose in a candy store with 100 bucks to spend. Hitomi smiled. Everything was just like it was last year. Merle was still as happy-go-lucky and girly and Dilandau still had a sick obsession with fire.

"Oh oh! Before I forget! I'd like you to meet someone. He's my cousin, Van. He just moved here and he's in the same year.", Merle said in an excited tone. She leaned closer to Hitomi's ear and whispered, "I think you'll find him cute!", giggling a little. Beside Merle was a man with messy jet black hair that Hitomi failed to recognize a while ago. And at this moment, Hitomi couldn't help but agree with Merle's comment. He was cute and he had this mysterious aura about him that made Hitomi want to know him better. He had a lean body, not like the bodies of the jocks that girls usually swooned over, but he looked like he was athletic, too, with his tight muscles forming slight creases on his tight shirt.

Van smiled and Hitomi grinned widely. "Hey, how do you find our school so far?" "It's cool I guess but do they usually come in huge groups and bump into you as if they have to go somewhere important?", Van asked. Hitomi laughed. "No. It just happens when certain people of the popular kind come in." Van laughed with her. "I guess a typical high school should always have those kind right?"

Just then, the bell rang. Merle grabbed Dilandau by the arm. "Dilly, let's go! Class is about to start and I hear that the teacher's hot!"

"Hot. Oooh I just love that word. Flaming hot... Mmmm.. Fire"  
The gang sweatdropped as they saw Dilandau's insane eyes come back to life once more.  
"Dilly, quit it. You're scaring the newcomer", Merle said still holding on to Dilandau's arm, while her other hand patted her cousin's hair. Van sweatdropped some more.

Hitomi sighed. "Well anyway, I have to get going too..." "No you don't, Hitomi. Since your teacher, Mr. Terada, is absent, you can tour Van around our humble campus okay?"

"W..huh..Wah? How'd you know that Mr. Terada was absent?", Hitomi asked, perplexed.  
Merle gave a sly grin and replied, "I have my sources...", Merle said with gestures that almost resembled a cat, minus the whiskers.  
"Sometimes, I think you really are a cat, Merle", Hitomi replied with a half-grin.  
Merle smiled but suddenly made an abrupt gasp as she pulled Dilandau to the other end of the corridor. "We really have to go now or I won't get the front seat!"

As Merle and Dilandau walked farther and farther away, Hitomi turned to Van, who had a look of confusion written on his face. "You okay?", Hitomi asked. "Don't worry. In time, you'll get used to their weird antics... though it would take longer to adjust to Dilandau's", Hitomi smiled, recalling how she took Dilandau's behavior the first time they met. She had seen him at a barbecue party and he was laughing jovially as he poured more and more lighter fluid into the grill... It wasn't a good impression at all. And yet, in time, Hitomi got to talk to him more, especially since they sat together during Social Studies class, and she found out that she wasn't bad at all, if one would look past his leather-clad clothes, his strange fascination for fire, his silver hair, his insane ruby red eyes, and his scary laugh.

Hitomi cut her deep thoughts and went back to her duty. "So Van, which part of the campus would you like to see?" Van shrugged and gave a half-hearted grin. "Anywhere's cool." Hitomi, at once, noted, how different he was to Merle. Merle, being the talkative woman she was, would have told Hitomi everything she wanted to see in the campus, and would have pulled Hitomi by the arms to hurry her up. Somehow, though, the differences did not bother her. It made her like him even more.

"Well then. Let's start at the cafeteria, where Fear Factor gets their food products for their show." Van laughed a little at Hitomi's joke, as they walked down the stairs. Somehow, Hitomi knew that it was going to be a special year... At least for her.

the title's crappy. i'll probably change it when i think of a better one. :p 


	2. Common Ground

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
  
ACT 2: Common Ground  
  
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A/N: Yes! I finally have my summer vacation, which means: 1) No homeworks, 2) going to malls, 3) hanging out with friends, 4) Waking up late, and 5) Updating my fics! Hope you like this chapter as much as you guys did the last (or more =]). Not much "action" between Van and Hitomi yet but it'll get there... but not too soon. hehe.   
  
Please review! Comments and Suggestions are VERY welcome!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin. :)  
  
Thank you so much to those who reviewed!  
  
Ruby: haha. a Dilandau lover, huh? Anywayz, thanks for the suggestion... But i have another idea in mind that i hope you'll like just the same :D  
  
PrincessCool: wow. i'm really flattered. =''= thanks so much for the review!  
  
fireangel: yikes! a pyromaniac's on the loose! don't burn me! see, i've updated already. lol!  
  
Deidamia: haha! thanks! i updated as fast as i could.  
  
Fushizen na: thank you!  
  
SabineballZ: I love them so much too! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
CinderellaxVan: Wow. blushes Thanks so much! Oh and by the way, I loved "Over my Head" so much! It's one of my fave stories along with your other works!  
  
van lover, Princess Neptune: Thanks a bunch! =)  
  
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"Ugh..."  
  
"We have to deal with this every single day. And now, you have to, too."  
  
The voices came from Van and Hitomi, respectively. People who might have listened in on their conversation would have thought they were talking about a grave matter of punishment and torture. In a way it was true. They were, after all, referring to the cafeteria food that was 'being prepared'...  
  
More like 'being churned out'.  
  
Van peered into the back door of the cafeteria, that was open enough to see what chaos was happening in the kitchen.  
  
He could have sworn he saw the chef placing maggots inside the big pot. His face grimaced and his nose wrinkled considerably from the stench of what could have been rotten cabbage... or maggots, Van still believed. Hitomi, on the other hand, didn't mind as much. She had stayed in the school for already 3 years now, and was quite used to the 'horrors' of lunchtime.  
  
Sensing that Van had had enough of seeing (and smelling) the canteen, Hitomi made a gesture for them to leave and Van immediately leapt at the offer. The cafeteria, whose walls were painted in a dreary gray and lined with white benches, was empty that time of the day, so they could hear their footsteps as they left the room.  
  
"Hmm... where next...", Hitomi said to herself in a sing-song voice. And it hit her immediately. She would show him her favorite place in the school...  
  
The field.  
  
They walked towards the main hallway, Van following closely behind Hitomi, until they reached a large door, opposite the place where Hitomi had entered just that morning. Hitomi pushed the door like she had done so many times in her life, and saw before her what still felt unbelievably refreshing and invigorating.  
  
The green grass, made even greener by the sun's bright rays. The clear blue skies. The flock of students playing soccer on one side and lying down on the other, laughing as their hair swayed to the cool wind. And of course, the hub of the whole scenery, in Hitomi's opinion... The track field, where a small group of boys and girls in loose fitting clothes and shorts were running about.  
  
Hitomi's eyes twinkled at what she saw. Van had the same look. He, too, held a special place in his heart for the field.  
  
"So Van, you want to sit over there by the stands?"  
  
Van nodded and they walked towards the seats, their shirts swaying calmly with the breeze.   
  
"'Tomi! Ey!"  
  
"Hitomi-san!"  
  
"Hey Hitomi! You up for a race?"  
  
Numerous shouts came from some of the members of the track team.  
  
Hitomi waved and shouted back "Hey there!"  
  
"So, I'm guessing you're part of the track team, right?", Van asked.  
  
"Yup! Oh yeah! Where are my manners? Let's go and introduce you!", Hitomi replied. Hitomi jogged to the team, and Van kept up with her pace.  
  
"Guys! This is Van. He just transferred here."  
  
Like a session in Alcoholics Anonymous, the crowd smiled and chorused. "Hi Van!"  
  
Van grinned.  
  
"Van, this is...", Hitomi introduced him to all her teammates, her finger pointing to the person with that name.  
  
"Valerie..." She pointed to a senior with long flowing blonde hair and blue eyes, waving at him.  
  
"Stephanie..." Hitomi's slender finger moved to a sophomore with short black hair, and black eyes, smiling widely.  
  
"Eito..." Now to a tall Japanese sophomore with a fair complexion and brown eyes.  
  
"Zan..." A freshman with his hair up in spikes, nodding warmly, his shiny silver stud in his left ear quite visible.  
  
"and... our captain..."  
  
"Amano." The last person introduced had fairly long sandy brown hair, with a cyan headband to keep any strands to get in his face while he trained. He smiled. "Hey there. You planning on trying out for the track team, by any chance?"  
  
"Um... no. Track and field isn't really my sport."  
  
"Don't mind Amano, Van. He tries to recruit all of our friends when he gets the chance.", Hitomi giggled.  
  
"Well, there's no harm in asking right? It's a good thing you guys have such a hardworking captain!", Amano said playfully. The team chuckled.   
  
"If you say so, Amano!", Hitomi told him. Amano looked at her, grinning, his eyes gazing upon her. Van immediately got the idea. Amano liked Hitomi. Hitomi, however, didn't seem to have a clue.  
  
"Anyway, we won't bother you guys anymore. We'll just be up at the stands, okay?"  
  
The track team nodded and Van and Hitomi left the group of teenagers clad in shorts.  
  
They had reached the stands, and had sat down on the cemented seats, Hitomi crossing her legs and heaving a sigh of content as the cool wind kissed her cheeks. Van, on the other hand, stretched a little, and looked at the people playing soccer.  
  
"Back in my old school, I was part of the soccer team...", Van said, nonchalantly, still staring at the open field.  
  
"Really? That's cool! You should try out here, then."  
  
"Yeah. Maybe I will."  
  
A long silence resumed, till Hitomi, not really used to being quiet for a long time, queried the newcomer some more.  
  
"Don't you just love the field?", Hitomi breathed out, sighing blissfully.  
  
Van nodded, smiling. "I know the feeling. I practice, day and night; rain or shine. I personally like playing soccer best when it's raining heavily, with the mud and all." Hitomi grinned... and silence continued.  
  
A couple of minutes passed. Hitomi stretched out her legs and yawned. She glanced at her watch and realized it was time to go. She stood up. "Our next class is about to start." Van stood up, too.  
  
"We have Biology together, right?", Hitomi asked.  
  
Van took out a sheet of paper from the pocket of his dark blue jeans, which were not loose fitting and not very tight either. "Section G21?"  
  
"Yup that's it... Come on!"  
  
And they left the field, only after Hitomi and Van relished the sight once again.  
  
"And that my class is the concept behind phospholipids."  
  
The man wearing a brown suit finally peeled his eyes off the board, and placed the chalk (or what was left of it) where it belonged. Clapping his hands together to take off the white dust that had surrounded his huge hands, he turned to his class. For the first time in this session.  
  
Van, who had found a seat behind Hitomi, tapped her on her shoulder. "Darn this is boring."  
  
Hitomi agreed. "I know! But don't worry, not all our teachers are...", Hitomi paused, not knowing the appropriate term.  
  
"...Zombies?", Van quipped and Hitomi laughed, "Exactly."  
  
Van gave his trademark smile once more... the smile that was laidback, not very enthusiastic, but still warm, in a sense. Hitomi felt that she could look at that smile forever and not be tired of it. But she immediately shrugged off the idea, not wanting to be obvious. Their tiny conversation ended when the teacher finally increased the volume of his voice one notch. He was at least audible at this point, and Hitomi thought of how effective his classes would be if he maintained that volume while he discussed.  
  
"Now for some homework. Chapters 10 to...", the professor looked down at a thick book. He flipped page after page and the class groaned in anticipation.  
  
"Chapters 10 to 14 then."  
  
"No way! That's inhuman sir, that's..."  
  
"School life.", the teacher proclaimed grimly. He was as lifeless as a wilted flower and he talked to the blackboard the whole duration of the class. The result of this, of course, was a class of students as dull as he was. He didn't seem to mind though.  
  
The bell rang and the students jumped out of their seats with joy, as though they had heard it for the first time. It was odd how the students, who were slumping during the whole Bio class, were now as energetic as jumping beans.  
  
"Phew! One boring class down, one more to go before lunch!", Hitomi said as she stretched her arms. They walked the crowded corridors with no particular destination to go to, until Hitomi stopped dead as she stared at the bulletin board.  
  
"Oh. my. God."  
  
Van was overcome with a sense of worry. "Why? What's wrong? You okay?"  
  
Hitomi didn't reply.  
  
"Hi...tomi?"  
  
Van was not prepared for what followed.  
  
Hitomi gave a very big shriek and jumped for joy. "Aaah! My favorite band's gonna play in this neighborhood next week!" Van curiously walked closer to the bulletin board, and looked for the particular sheet of paper that had made Hitomi more excited than ever.  
  
Surprisingly, Van was overcome with the same trancelike emotion.  
  
"Woah. Stellar is coming here?"  
  
Hitomi escaped her reverie, shocked that he, too, knew the band. "You know the band, too?"  
  
"Yeah. They're pretty cool.", Van said, more enthusiastic than he usually was, but still quite stoic, especially compared to Hitomi's frantic mannerism.   
  
Hitomi, however, was pleased that Van's tone of voice was a little more joyous than usual and continued with her cheerful and energetic voice. "Wow! It's not always that I see someone who actually has heard of Stellar before! They haven't really gone mainstream yet! And I'm so glad somebody finally has taste in my kind of music! Merle's idea of music happens to be more of the 'pop' genre" - Hitomi paused for a moment to show her disgust - "and Dilandau doesn't really care about the music as long as the singers create some chaos during their concerts."  
  
Van grinned. "Well, punk rock's the only kind of music I listen to, also.", Van said, "...And Stellar's one of the best in that particular field."  
  
"Well, I'm definitely going to the concert", Hitomi added.  
  
"Cool. Let's watch it together then", Van replied.  
  
"Sure! That would be cool!" It was apparent that Hitomi was still worked up at the good news.   
  
At the anticlimax of the scene, Hitomi suddenly realized one thing. That Van and her would go to the concert together... Alone. Hitomi, however, knew fully well that they were going as friends and nothing more. Somehow, Hitomi didn't mind one bit, quite cautious with expressing her slight feelings towards him... if it really was the real thing. If there was little or no chance they were going to be steady, Hitomi knew that friendship would be the next best thing. Besides, she had known the newcomer for only a few hours. How could she be so sure he was all that she wanted him to be?  
  
The two finally left the bulletin board in a couple of minutes and went to their last class before lunch. Hitomi was extremely happy for someone who was going to endure two hours of geometry.  
  
When the lunch bell finally sounded off, they met with Dilandau and Merle, and chatted away, hardly noticing their meal, which was of course the concoction Van and Hitomi were staring at just that morning. They did not have any idea what was inside it since it was just called 'Chef's surprise'. It was Van's cue to talk about his 'maggot' theory, quite firm about his belief. This caused them to chuckle at him, although surprisingly, Merle and Dilandau didn't touch it after Van's idea. Hitomi was the only brave one, as her spoon dug inside the saucy, vile dish.  
  
The four students, however, were interrupted when the large doors were soon pushed with much force that a huge 'swoosh' was heard. Out of the door came Millerna and her Fashionista clique, confidence bursting in their every step towards their usual seats. Hitomi, Merle, and Dilandau resumed their conversation, now that they knew that it was just the "popular" crowd coming to "grace" them with their presence. Unfortunately, Van was still lost in space. He stared at the large group, more so to the girl who seemed to attract the most attention. The lucky woman was, of course, the by blonde princess herself... Millerna Aston.  
  
This girl fished out a compact pink mobile phone from her little pink tote bag, with her pink-painted fingers. She dialed a few digits, placed her phone to her ear, and literally shouted at the person she was calling, oblivious to the fact that some people actually wanted a quiet, decent, undisturbed lunch. Those people, however, were scarcely found in this school as most were so engrossed in Millerna's conversation by now, that they had forgotten their previous tête-à-tête.  
  
"Look, BRAD. You KNOW how much I HATE cafeteria food, so you're going to find me that Caesar Salad I'm craving for if it's the last thing you do. Got it? ...Definitely not, Brad! If Chez Leon is out of Caesar's Salad then go to another restaurant, oh-KAY?", Millerna said in her prissy, sing-song, extremely rude tone, garnering disgusted looks on Hitomi, Merle, and Dilandau's face. Van, however, was still in Never Never Land, just like the majority of the students. Millerna's 'groupies' didn't seem to realize how domineering and boorish the woman really was. And Aston's friends were just as bad.  
  
Their usual table had the usual faces. There was Millerna Aston, of course, who was no doubt the star of the gang; Eries Aston, who was obviously related to Millerna, in every aspect one can perceive, save for her longer straighter hair; Narya and Erya Prein, twins who definitely had a mean streak about them, and who looked absolutely the same except for the color of their hair (Erya had blonde hair, Nariya had silver); Yukari Uchida, whose strikingly red hair made her both stand out and fit in with the others at the table; Brad Gramer, who Millerna was talking to on the phone, a typical buffy jock, who had more muscle in his head than brain; and lastly, the playboy himself - Allen Schezar, whose obsession in girls could only be topped by his obsession in his 'precious' hair, or so he describes it.  
  
"I live to see the day when that group would just decide to change school", Merle said with spite especially to the twins, who she was unfortunately related to. "Tsk, tsk. Is that how you treat your relatives?", Dilandau taunted Merle. "They are my DISTANT cousins. We're hardly related, got that?" Hitomi and Dilandau couldn't help but giggle, knowing how Merle was so sensitive when it came to that topic. This would make Merle even more peeved although that hardly stopped the two from teasing her. This time, however, they had remarkably ceased teasing even before Merle started threatening them with her sharp nails, or 'claws', as she would put it. This baffled Merle but only for an instant, when she saw where they were gawking at.  
  
"Van! Why the hell are you looking like a coma patient?", Merle shrieked.  
  
No response.  
  
"Van Slanzar DE Fanel?!", Merle now more exasperated.  
  
"You want me to maybe scorch one of his fingers with my lighter? That would certainly wake him up!", Dilandau said, grinning devilishly.  
  
Hitomi interceded before Merle could even lay her hands on Dilandau. She snapped her fingers in front of Van and waved her hands over Van's glassy eyes, when the previous action was unsuccessful.  
  
Like a man who recovered from drowning after CPR, Van suddenly sprang to life.  
  
"What?", Van asked, innocently, and calmly, as if nothing happened.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT? YOU WERE STARING OFF INTO SPACE!", Merle shouted, her usual tan face red with anger. She acted so much like a protective, nagging older sister.  
  
"I was? Oh sorry. I was kinda lost in thought", Van replied, not at all affected by Merle's sudden outburst, as he brushed his messy jet black hair. Merle was not convinced but decided to let him off the hook. After all, what good would it do to get mad at someone who doesn't get affected anyway? If, however, Merle had known what... or WHO Van was thinking of, Merle would have been even more pissed than she already was, and would have not minded one bit if Van was not really listening.  
  
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So, how'd you find the chapter? Hope you guys liked it as much as the first (or even more!) Oh and as far as I know, there's no band called "Stellar". (or is there? I don't know it's just the first word that popped in my head. just remembered Incubus' song. hehe.) oh yeah, one more thing. Is Narya the blonde girl in the Escaflowne series or is she the one with silver hair? Cause from what I remember Narya was the blonde girl. Correct me if I'm wrong please :) As for Hitomi's feelings for Van and vice versa? well you just have to wait. Hitomi's apparently attracted to Van, but Van... well that's another case. But don't worry the V/H pairing will get there... eventually. hehe ==  
  
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	3. Disappointing Revelations

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
  
ACT 3: Disappointing Revelations  
  
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A/N: Another chapter done. I hope it's as good as the last one, or better.  
  
Please review! Comments are VERY welcome!   
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin.  
  
Advertisment: Please read my other Esca fic, "Into the Abyss", if you have the time. It's a more angsty fic than this one. For Roswell fans: I suggest you read "It Was You" -- Liz/Zan fic :)  
  
Thank you so much to those who reviewed!  
  
Fushizen na: thank you so much for reviewing again!  
  
Niffer: thanks! :)  
  
SabineballZ: read this chapter and you'll see if he's actually fallen for millerna. wink allen bashing? i'll think about it. hehe. as for van and hitomi? be patient. it will get there. :) Thanks a lot for reviewing again!  
  
Ruby: thanks so much for reviewing again!  
  
fireangel: lol. no need to get hysterical. :) read this chapter and see if your suspicions are correct. wink, wink thanks so much for reviewing again! oh and thanks for the correction. :) i keep on mixing up the two of them. o_0  
  
van lover: *blushes* awww... thanks! and thanks for reviewing again!  
  
CinderellaxVan: oops. my mistake. *edits chapter 2* anyway, thanks for reviewing again! and just read this chappie to see if your suspicion is true. hehe. you mean you were just a beginner when you wrote "over my head"? woah! but it was so damn good! well, don't be humble. i think you're one of the Escaflowne experts already! i do hope i write as good as you guys some day! ^_^  
  
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What followed after the blow-off was a long moment of awkward silence. Merle was still infuriated from her outburst, Van was extraordinarily dead calm, and Hitomi and Dilandau didn't know what to say to break the ice. Luckily, the lunch bell intervened.  
  
Hitomi and Dilandau heaved a sigh.  
  
"Phew! There's the bell! That means lunch is over!", Hitomi exclaimed with an all-too exaggerated excitement in her voice, "So, Van? We have the same class still, right? Let's go!" Dilandau sweatdropped, but decided to go with Hitomi's mood, "And we have Chem Lab together, Merle! Let's bring on those Bunsens!", Dilandau said, laughing wickedly.  
  
Merle looked at Van suspiciously before she agreed with Dilandau and left. She had this gut feeling that Van's gaze was headed towards the direction where the popular girls were seated, and her intuition rarely faltered. It bothered her a lot, especially since she knew how the "glamour girls" drove their suitors into slaves. Dilandau tugged the collar of Merle's red rugby shirt, "Earth to Merle?" "Oh yeah. Classes. Let's go."  
  
And the quartet left the cafeteria along with the rest of the student body.  
  
After two classes, another school day had finally ended. Hitomi went to her locker, punched in her combination, gave the stubborn metal contraption a good whack before it finally opened, shoved her books inside untidily, and happily left school grounds, towards her " family heirloom" (so to speak) - the Jetta. She unlocked her door with her keys, but to no avail. Hitomi sighed, frustrated. 'Jeez. Are all the locks out to get me today?' She tried again, this time applying more force as she turned the key, causing her keychains to jingle furiously. The doors, however, still refused to cooperate.  
  
Just then a familiar voice called her from behind, making Hitomi smile.  
  
"Need help?"  
  
"Van, thank goodness you're here! This stupid door doesn't want to open!"  
  
Van calmly gestured for the keys, moved towards Hitomi's car, and unlocked the door with ease.  
  
"Hey how'd you do that?"  
  
Van shrugged, "I had a car just as ancient as that before and had the same problems."  
  
Hitomi laughed a little at the word, 'ancient' and climbed inside her car. "Thanks, Van. Our family calls this an heirloom."  
  
Van grinned momentarily, but his facial expressions changed to a more somber tone, as he leaned on Hitomi's window.  
  
"Um... Hitomi?", Van asked, a tinge of uneasiness etched in his voice. Hitomi noticed immediately since Van was usually quite 'cool' about everything.  
  
"Ya, what's up?  
  
"Can I call you later?"  
  
Hitomi felt her heart race. "Um, s-sure, okay. I'll talk to you later then," as she nervously fumbled for her keys and started the ignition.  
  
Van, slightly amused, "Um, Hitomi?"  
  
"Y-Yeah?"  
  
"You haven't given me your number yet."  
  
"Oh right!", Hitomi said nervously and murmured "532-91-67" quickly.  
  
"Um can you go over it a little slowly?"  
  
Hitomi smiled, "Sorry." and repeated her number.  
  
"Okay then. I'll call you later."  
  
"Kay. Bye!", Hitomi waved and Van turned the other direction.  
  
Hitomi made sure Van was out of sight before she heaved a heavy sigh and backed up the car. 'Dammit I must have looked like a total geek there.'  
  
The drive back home was smooth, and effortless. She turned down the volume of her radio and her eyes focused on the almost empty road while her mind traveled somewhere else. 'I wonder why he wants to call me... Could it be that he likes me?' Hitomi shook her head. 'That couldn't be it. I'm sure he doesn't like me...' 'Besides, who was he staring at before? I could have sworn she was staring at Millerna and that means he really doesn't like me.' Hitomi frowned a little, as she changed her gear and made a sharp turn to the right. 'That should be it. What man in his right frame of mind will not find Millerna attractive at first glance?'  
  
She looked up at the traffic light and came to a complete stop.  
  
'This is ridiculous. I don't know why I'm so caught up with the guy. I don't even know him that well. He's just like a stranger to me now.'  
  
Her long train of thoughts were put to an abrupt stop when she heard angry horns honking at her. She looked up at the traffic light and noticed that it had turned green already for god knows how long. She immediately put her foot down the gas pedal and made the last turn to her abode, dismissing all her thoughts and leaving the whole issue to the phone call she'll receive later.  
  
She opened the door to her house with her keys, thanking the gods that at least this door wasn't stubborn like the others she have experienced that day, and went inside her room immediately, knowing that her mother won't be home from work for another two to three hours.  
  
She had just stepped inside her bedroom, when her black cordless phone rang. She ran towards it and picked it up immediately.  
  
"HITOMI! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HOME!"  
  
"Merle, no need to shout. My hearing's perfectly fine!", Hitomi said, teasingly, pulling the phone away from her ear.  
  
"I am still sooo pissed at Van!"  
  
"About that lunch incident?", Hitomi asked while plopping down on her bed.  
  
"Yes, about the lunch incident. I have this huge feeling that Van likes one of those glam girls, and there's nothing I can do to talk some sense into him!"  
  
"Why? You talked to him after school?"  
  
"If you consider speaking with someone who's barely replying as 'talking'! I told him I knew who he was staring at lunch time and he just shrugged and said that he didn't know what I was talking about. As if!", Merle said, frustration imminent in her voice.  
  
"Why don't you give him the benefit of the doubt? Look, he said he's gonna call me later so maybe I'll find out. Right now we..."  
  
"What? He said he'll call you? Why doesn't he want to call me instead? I mean we're cousins right?", Merle interrupted.  
  
"Well maybe because you overreact?"  
  
"WHAT? SINCE WHEN DID I DO THAT?"  
  
Hitomi rolled her eyes, "Um, like now?"  
  
There was a pause in the conversation. Hitomi smiled, "Well...?"  
  
"Okay. Whatever. Just call me after you talk to Van okay?"  
  
"Kay! Bye!"  
  
"Bye!"  
  
Merle put down the phone and stared out her window. 'I sure hope Hitomi's right.' A lot of people would have wondered why Merle was so concerned with Van's situation, and so angry at the popular girls. Only Merle knew the answer to that.  
  
It all started two years ago. She was going steady with Folken, when Millerna suddenly took interest in him. Millerna was like a serpent, using her charm to wrap Folken around her finger. And Merle got worried. She kept on telling Folken to stay away from the girl but Folken assured Merle that nothing will happen. Merle trusted him. But soon after, her trust bit her in the back.  
  
On the night of the ball, Merle waited for Folken on her front porch. She was wearing a pink dress and looked beautiful. She imagined how the night would go, how Folken would pick her up and he would love her dress and they would enter the gym hand-in-hand and dance the night away. 30 minutes passed quickly and Folken's black car was nowhere in sight. An hour. Two hours. Three hours. Till Merle realized that waiting for him was useless. She called him on the cellular phone and all Folken could do was apologize profusely for forgetting.  
  
He had forgotten that he asked his girlfriend to the prom. So he 'accidentally' invited someone else... by the name of Millerna. How could Merle have forgiven him for that? Merle cursed herself for being too trusting... too naive. She ran to her room, holding on to Folken's boutoneirre so tightly, that the petals were dulled in color. All her plans for the evening had been crushed. Instead, she cried the night away.  
  
After that day, Merle and Folken rarely talked or exchanged congenial words to each other. Maybe it was because Merle still harbored this great deal of hurt and anger towards him or because Folken was guilty, which he really was. But the bulk of the truth was that Folken had never had the time to talk to her, or do anything for that matter. A week after the prom, Millerna shed off her sweet exterior and started manipulating him, coaxing him to do her homework, make her projects, cut classes to listen in on her classes instead and take notes for her, till his grades started to slip and his parents forced him to change schools.  
  
It was sad to see Folken Lacour, honor student, responsible, the pride of his family, just waste away for a woman. Folken was such an intelligent person... Yet, he wasn't smart enough to see through the blonde princess. He started a new life in a school miles from Merle's and they never talked since. It was a bitter memory for her and she never forgived Millerna... or the blonde's friends, even if they had nothing to do with the incident.  
  
And as she finished recalling her grief, she silently prayed that Van won't replay the terrible incident.   
  
Somewhere else, the phone rang forebodingly. Speak of the devil.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"May I please speak to Hitomi?", the male voice asked.  
  
Hitomi knew who he was - "Van? It's me."  
  
"Hey", Van said in his usual stoic self.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"So, did you just come home?", Van inquired.  
  
"Yup kinda. You?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So...", Hitomi said prolonging the word, not knowing what to say exactly.  
  
"Um... Hitomi." The nervous side of Van was shown to her a second time.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Could I ask you something?"  
  
"Uh... sure? Like what?"  
  
"Well, I didn't really want to talk to Merle about this since she'd probably make a big deal about it."  
  
Hitomi giggled, "Yeah. She tends to do that a lot."  
  
Van chortled a little, "So... I thought I'd tell you instead. I mean even if we haven't known each other for a long time, I just feel... I don't know... comfortable with you."  
  
Hitomi blushed furiously and thanked the gods that nobody hasn't invented a video-enabled phone yet.  
  
"I guess you probably noticed around lunch time that I was kinda... distracted."  
  
At those words, Hitomi lost the blush that overcame her cheeks and knew what was to come.  
  
"Well... This would sound pretty pathetic but... you see..."  
  
"This has something to do with Millerna, right?", Hitomi interjected, a hint of disappointment and irritation in her voice.  
  
"The blonde?" Van said, "Hell no. She acts like a spoiled princess or something. Besides, blondes aren't really my type."  
  
"So you prefer..."  
  
"Girls with red hair."  
  
Hitomi knew exactly where this conversation was headed. Van would be asking her to help him hook up with Yukari Uchida. She was, after all, the only red-haired girl who sat with Millerna and her cronies.  
  
"Actually, there was a particular red-haired girl I liked who was sitting in the same table as Millerna."  
  
"I know her. Yukari. And you're in luck. She was my best friend in grade school," Hitomi said emotionless, except for a slight stress in the way she said 'was'. She didn't know how to feel. Should she be feeling flattered for how Van trusted her with his feelings? How he looked at her as a good friend? Somehow she didn't and it was just the word 'friend' that kept her downcast. She wanted to be his friend. Really she did. But did he have to pick her to help him with his love life when she wanted to be a part of it, instead? Hitomi shook his head. She sounded really pathetic. Pining over a guy who was asking her help for another girl.  
  
"So... you'll help me?", Van asked filling the silence.  
  
Hitomi wanted to hang up and tell him he was a jerk - "Help you in what way exactly?" - but she couldn't do it. She knew she'd regret it sooner or later...  
  
But what the heck.  
  
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a/n: hey hope you like the chapter and the little surprise you got when you realized that van actually liked Yukari instead of Millerna. this chapter's shorter cause i thought it would end better this way. not much action her either. I'll add more stuff in the next chapter. and don't worry i promise i'll add in cute v/h moments here and there. and i've got the ending planned already. it's gonna be sweet. just hope you'll find it sweet, too. hehe o_0. okay enough of my blabbing. till next chapter!  
  
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	4. Operation Redhead

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
  
ACT 4: Operation Redhead  
  
===================================================================================  
  
A/N: Ey guys! I finally got to writing a new chapter! Sorry for the long wait! I've been really busy the past few months... Hopefully, I can update more regularly... I'll try to as long as projects don't start pouring in again. o_0 At any rate, you can place your email address with the review, and I'll email you when I'll update. :D Oh and:  
  
Please review! Comments are VERY welcome!   
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin.  
  
Advertisement: Please read my other Esca fic, "Into the Abyss", if you have the time. It's a more angsty fic than this one. For Roswell fans: I suggest you read "It Was You" -- Liz/Zan fic :)  
  
Thank you so much to those who reviewed!  
  
fireangel: thanks again for the review! unfortunately, you did make sense. hehe ^_^ van's more of a dense idiot than a jerk. hehe. Anywayz, thanks for the review! i always enjoy reading your reviews. :)  
  
Snooptopian, Rhapsody9: thanks mucho for the review! ^_^  
  
Liarra/Jellybean2: nope he won't. he's just an ordinary human being here.  
  
Esca-lover: i'm glad you liked that i made van not pick Millerna (um did what i say make sense?). Millerna's pretty much a b**** here. hehe. thanks for the review!  
  
katana-chan: dont worry... van and hitomi will get together... eventually (insert evil laughter)  
  
naria4: im glad you liked the twist. Anywayz, sorry to have kept you waiting with this new chapter... Been really busy. Hope you enjoy it!  
  
Aya_chan: Yup I'm going to finish this story. And reviews will certainly help motivate me. :) (hint hint. hehe)  
  
van lover: i so agree! ^^ (sighs dreamily) ...van!  
  
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There was a long moment of silence, one that was usually a product of stupor. Van hadn't counted on Hitomi actually being willing to help him, nor did he count on Hitomi knowing Yukari more than just exchanging friendly smiles when they passed each other in hallways.  
  
At that moment, only one thought crossed his mind:  
  
Damn. Was he lucky.  
  
Hitomi, growing more impatient by the seconds that ticked in silence, finally cleared her throat and spoke, "So...? What exactly do you want my help for?" She didn't mean to sound so annoyed... Or maybe she did. All in all, the new revelation was getting to her. Sure, she was glad that Van didn't like Millerna after all, but Yukari...? She was just as bad as Millerna, in her opinion.  
  
Even worse.  
  
After all, Millerna had never been Hitomi's friend... But Yukari had been. In fact, they were best of friends, the operative word being 'were'.  
  
But she had agreed to help Van already, so she wasn't backing out now.  
  
Van, too happy to actually notice the hint of irritation dripping from Hitomi's voice, finally got out of his trance.  
  
"Well, I hadn't counted on you actually knowing her well, but since you do, then you'd be even a bigger help!" Hitomi slightly flinched. "I was wondering if you could introduce me to her, and tell me what she likes and stuff." Van's tone was definitely more excited than his usual self.  
  
The sandy brown-haired girl was taken aback by Van's favor. "Woah! Me? Introduce you to her? And tell you what she likes? You know what, on second thought, I can't help you."  
  
"Why not? You're her best friend, right?"  
  
"WERE her best friend."  
  
"Well, still! You should know something about her..."  
  
"No way! How should i know what Kari likes now? Last time i checked, she disliked the popular people, thought cheerleading was a dumb sport, and said that we would be best friends forever!!!", Hitomi let out all the repressed anger she had been bottling up inside of her ever since Yukari joined the cheerleading squad and decided that Hitomi just wasn't cool enough to hang out with. She was talking so quickly as the words just came rushing to her mouth.  
  
Van, however, remained stubborn.  
  
"Well... I don't think she would have changed THAT much. Come on! I'm sure she's still the same person you knew before. She seems really nice."  
  
Hitomi rolled her eyes.  
  
"Whatever. Look. We're not even speaking anymore. I don't think I'm up to approaching her while she's with her prissy friends, and risk being sneered at by Millerna and the rest."  
  
"Oohhkay. Then I'll approach her. No biggie. But you have to help me and tell me what she likes to do..."  
  
Hitomi was about to interrupt when Van finished his sentence, almost as if he knew it was going to clear up Hitomi's anxiety.  
  
"Or what she _used_to_ like to do", Van said, still too dense to see that Hitomi was getting really pissed off at their phone call. He didn't know why, but he felt comfortable talking to Hitomi, so that he didn't mind being so straightforward. He felt like he had known Hitomi since he was still playing in a sandbox.  
  
"Fine then. I'll tell you what she _liked_. She _liked_ listening to pop music, _enjoyed_ eating Italian food and anything listed under the dessert menu, _loved_ to watch mushy soap operas and gush over her favorite male actors, and..."  
  
"Woah. Hold on. Let's do this right. We could meet up or something...?"  
  
"What for? I'm going to babble about what she likes just the same!"  
  
"Well... actually, I need more than your babbling...", The last word faded with the air as Van's uneasiness started to resurface again.  
  
"What else would you need me for?", Hitomi queried. Her irritation was now overshadowed by curiosity.  
  
"I used to study in an all-boys school, and I'm the only child in our family, so..."  
  
Hitomi had a vague idea what he was getting at.  
  
"I'm not really that good with talking to women."  
  
The emerald-eyed girl's prediction was correct. And somehow, it wasn't hard to believe. With the few days she had known him, she had found out that he wasn't very smooth with words.  
  
Heck. He rarely even talked.  
  
And if he was ever going to try to go out with a girl, he would need to be a little more talkative. Especially a girl such as Yukari. If Van _was_ right and Yukari hadn't changed, then she would still be the same perky, extremely loquacious person she had known.  
  
She imagined how the two would go about their first date. They seemed to be exact opposites. The redhead would probably talk a hundred words per minute about any topic under the sun, and he'd be nodding and giving her his half grin. It could spell disaster. But then, stranger things have happened. And they do say that opposites attract, right?  
  
Hitomi mentally slapped herself. What was she doing, helping the enemy? And hoping for her good fortune?  
  
The girl shook her head, as if it were to clear her thoughts. In truth, it didn't really matter. She would help Van, just as she promised, and if Yukari was the snobbish brat Hitomi pictured her to be, then he'd probably drop the whole thing. But, on the other hand, if Yukari was really the same person she knew, then it will all be great. Either way, Hitomi wouldn't be on the center of the situation. She'd be on the sidelines, supporting Van, like a good friend. It pained Hitomi, but somehow, she valued the friendship she and Van had formed over the days and wasn't going to act immaturely over her predicament.  
  
Her cerebral battle finally ended. Her good nature had won over her bitterness.  
  
"Let's meet up at Yugetsudo, the one just a few blocks from our school. I'm free after my track practice, which is around 5 pm."  
  
Van smiled. "Cool. 5 pm it is."  
  
Hitomi grinned, "Well, I'll see you then..."  
  
"Hitomi..?"  
  
"Hmm...?"  
  
"Thanks. I owe you big time."  
  
She laughed, "That you do."  
  
And they hung up the phone, Hitomi sighing heavily.  
  
The things she does for a friend...  
  
She lost herself in her deep thoughts, but immediately snapped out of it to call a certain girl with pink hair, anticipating the hysterical outbursts of Merle.  
  
She dialed the eight-digit phone number of Merle, and after one ring, a girl spoke up, panting heavily, as if she had ran towards the phone.  
  
"Hello, Merle?"  
  
"HITOMI! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?! DOES HE LIKE MILLERNA?!?!?!"  
  
"Calm down, Merle! And no, she doesn't like Millerna..."  
  
"But...? I know there's a but to it, Tomi."  
  
"Yeah there is. He likes Yukari instead."  
  
"WHAT??! THAT B**** YOU TALKED TO ME ABOUT BEFORE? WHAT THE HELL?!"  
  
Hitomi braced herself for the long and loud conversation she would be having with Merle, and realized she would be having her dinner late again.  
  
====================================================================================  
  
Van sat comfortably on the sofa by the window, his right ankle resting on his left knee. He strummed his fingers rhythmically on the table, so that the sound it produced almost resembled a horse galloping in the distance. Beside his tapping hand lay a large white mug with steam swirling out of it, and his black cellular phone, which he had dug out from his pocket, just in case Hitomi couldn't come at the last minute.  
  
He stared out at the glass window just a few inches beside him, and gazed intently at nothing special, deep in empty thoughts. He recalled all that happened today, and heaved a sigh, as he remembered his cousin's over reaction toward his attraction to a 'popular' girl. During the whole lunch hour, Merle was ranting on and on about how Van had betrayed her, and how all this will lead to his destruction. Hitomi, however, remained quiet the whole time, and Van wondered if Hitomi was on his side or Merle's. Dilandau was also unusually quiet, probably because he, too, was afraid of the "cat girl's" wrath. It was a frustrating hour for all of them and none of them seemed to have touched their food. He wondered why her cousin was so angry at the popular people, and mentally made a note to ask Hitomi about it.  
  
A familiar figure appeared in his peripheral vision shortly after. It was Hitomi, still in her running pants, and a sporty tank top. Her cheeks were still pink from the workout she had probably received from track, and a few strands of her hair were still damp from her recent shower, as strands of it clung onto her forehead.  
  
Van grinned. She was pretty, no doubt. He had seen it from the first time they were introduced. She seemed to radiate this glow about her, which he couldn't explain. Sure, she wasn't supermodel pretty, like Millerna was, but that was actually a good thing, in his opinion. She liked the natural look on women, after all. Hence, his liking towards Yukari.  
  
There was a question nagging at the back of Van's head but he was interrupted by the chimes of the door, as his chestnut-haired friend entered the room. He saw her look around the room, searching for him, craning her neck every now and then. Seeing that Hitomi was having a difficult time seeing him, he waved his arms in her direction. Soon, the girl's emerald eyes acknowledged him, and she moved towards the table, smiling warmly.  
  
"Hey", Van said, a twinkle in his russet eyes, offsetting his relaxed smile.  
  
"Hi!", Hitomi replied warmly, her breathing still ragged from her training.  
  
She sat herself opposite of Van and heaved a sigh.  
  
"Rough training, huh?", Van asked, making small talk.  
  
"Yeah. Coach Miguel Labariel made us run THIRTY laps straight, without a water break!"  
  
"Woah. He must be in a bad mood."  
  
"VERY. My other teammates, remember Eito and Zan? Well, they came to practice thirty minutes late. And they knew from last week's training that Coach Labariel won't tolerate any more tardiness from any of us. You should have seen the look on his face when Eito and Zan finally arrived."  
  
Van chuckled momentarily and silence once again ensued.  
  
Hitomi observed that when she was talking to Van there were always moments of silence, some awkward but mostly comfortable. Either way, Hitomi would always be the one to open up a conversation again.  
  
A grumble in her stomach distracted her though and Van, for some reason, had sensed that she was hungry and gave her the menu that was lying around in the table. Hitomi opened the menu and immediately saw the big, red letters in the center, adorned by an intricate border.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
TRY OUR SPECIALTY!  
  
Strawberry Cake .................... Y700/slice  
  
*****************************************************  
  
Hitomi smiled solemnly and instinctively spoke. "Yukari and I used to come here all the time. After track practice, she'd force me to come here so she can satisfy her craving for Strawberry Cake. With the way she ate desserts, I could not imagine how she managed to stay thin", Hitomi chuckled.  
  
Van frowned a little at Hitomi.  
  
Seeing Hitomi sad affected him and somehow, he felt it was his fault.  
  
After all, if he hadn't asked help from Hitomi, then she wouldn't have to remember Yukari. He cursed at himself for being so selfish. He wanted to apologize to Hitomi and tell her that she could back out, but he was never one to apologize. He was far too stubborn to do that.  
  
Hitomi's state, however, seemed to be affecting Van way too much. His conscience was starting to berate him now and he was about to speak when his thoughts were once again interrupted by the same chimes.   
  
Coincidentally, someone had a craving for strawberry cake that day and had come to the best place to have it.  
  
Hitomi gasped and hid herself behind the menu. Van was too befuddled to do anything. Luckily though, Yukari was too immersed in something else to see them, although she sat at a table very close to them. The emerald-eyed girl put down the menu.  
  
"Well, well. She didn't come with her cronies this time?"  
  
Van cocked up an eyebrow, "I thought you were going to help me with her? How come you're still hating her?"  
  
"Sorry. Force of habit", Hitomi said with a touch of sarcasm.  
  
Just then, a familiar mobile ring tone rang from the redhead's direction. Hitomi knew immediately what song it was.  
  
'Yakusoku wa Iranai.'  
  
Yukari had always been a huge fan of Maaya Sakimoto.  
  
The redhead placed her phone on her ear, and seemed to be exasperated about something. She did, however, plaster a fake smile suddenly.  
  
"Hi Millerna. I'm SO sorry I couldn't come to your pool party. You see my mother's sick and I have to take care of her and stuff."  
  
"I know. It's like such awful timing. I really did want to go to your party. You guys have fun and tell me all about it tomorrow okay? Bye!"  
  
Yukari placed her phone back in her back not before sticking out her tongue.  
  
Hitomi and Van had heard the whole conversation.  
  
Van smirked. "So she doesn't like Millerna so much after all."  
  
Hitomi grinned a little but immediately wiped it off. "Well that doesn't prove anything. It just proves she's a psychopathic liar."  
  
Van shrugged. "Whatever you say."  
  
"So, Van. Why don'tcha go up to her now? Then, I wouldn't have to help you anymore!", Hitomi said in a happy outburst.  
  
Van groaned.  
  
"What am I supposed to tell her? You haven't even told me what she likes!"  
  
"I did tell you what she likes! On the phone, remember? That's pretty much it. Come on, don't be such a sissy! I'm sure she'll like you. You've got a great personality. Order her some strawberry cake and you'll get on her good side. Just don't order her any drink with caffeine. She'll get WAY too hyper and she's already hyper as it is. Okay? Just be a good listener, laugh at her jokes, all those stuff, and I'm sure you'll be fine. ", Hitomi said, slightly feeling her cheeks warm up when she told him he had a good personality.  
  
"But...", Van interjected  
  
Hitomi placed her palm over his face, a gesture to make him stop talking.  
  
"No buts, Van. Just go there. I'll leave you two alone. I need to do some grocery shopping, anyway."  
  
Seeing Van freeze, Hitomi nudged him a little, winked at him, and left the store.  
  
"It will be alright, Van. Tell me how it goes tomorrow!"  
  
And with that, Hitomi jogged towards the door and left, the chimes making a noise again.  
  
The redhead, who was too lost in her thoughts, suddenly snapped out of her trance, and intuitively looked at the door to see who went in, only to see a retreating back, whose hair looked oddly familiar. Yukari, however, dismissed her suspicion and instead, searched for a nearby waiter with her brown eyes.  
  
Van saw this, and took this opportunity to go to her, cooly.  
  
Yukari's chocolate irises caught Van's russet ones and Van couldn't help but blush a little. He regained his composure, though, and gave his trademark, suave grin. Yukari could only look at him, puzzled, trying to remember if she had met him somewhere, perhaps at one of Millerna's social mixers. She prayed though that he wasn't one of those braggarts she had met, since she wasn't in the mood to talk to any of them. Yukari felt that her prayers have been answered since those guys were most likely all in Millerna's pool party, flirting with every girl there.  
  
Van cleared his throat a little to make sure his voice doesn't come out croaky.  
  
"Hey. You don't really know me, but we go to the same school and I see you around."  
  
Yukari smiled a little. He seemed really nice, and he wasn't one of the jocks that hang out with Millerna's crowd.  
  
"Oh, Hey!"  
  
There was an awkward silence, before Van seized the moment.  
  
"So... um... would you mind if I bought you some cake... Maybe some strawberry cake? I heard it's really delicious."  
  
Yukari grinned even broadly at the sound of her favorite dessert.  
  
"Not at all! Sure, have a seat."  
  
Van took the black velvet chair in front of the redhead, and sat comfortably.  
  
"So, your name is...?", Van asked, even if he knew what it was already, from Hitomi. Heck, he didn't want to make Yukari think he was a stalker and scare her off.  
  
"Oh yeah. I'm Yukari... Yukari Uchida. And you are?"  
  
"Van Fanel."  
  
There was another moment of silence, so Van decided to call the waiter just a few tables away from them.  
  
"Two strawberry cakes please, and..."  
  
He turned to Yukari.  
  
"What would you like to drink... some lemonade?"  
  
"Uh, sure!", Yukari said in her perky voice.  
  
Van placed her attention back to the waiter.  
  
"And two lemonades please."  
  
The waiter jotted them down on his pad, "Will that be all?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Okay then, the food will come shortly."  
  
The waiter tucked his note pad on his apron and grabbed the menu on the table and left.  
  
"So..." Van thought of something to start up a conversation, when Yukari cut in.  
  
"I haven't seen you around, Van. Are you also in your senior year?"  
  
"Yup... Actually, I just moved here this year. I'm a new student."  
  
"Oh, I see. No wonder I haven't seen you around."  
  
"How about you? How long have you been living here?"  
  
"Ever since I could remember. I've been studying in Kamakura Kita since kindergarten."   
  
The conversation continued, and pretty soon, the awkward moments of silence had dissipated into laughter and casual chit-chat.  
  
===================================================================================  
  
Phew! Another chapter done! And a pretty long chapter at that. Hope it wasn't boring. I decided not to write the full conversation between Yukari and Van anymore, since it's going to be dragging. I hope you like this chappy! Well, like I said this won't start as a V/H fic immediately. Right now, Hitomi's being the good friend she is and doing some matchmaking (kinda against her will but then she DID agree to it anyway), but sparks will fly between Van and Hitomi soon. Why, when, where, and how that happens, you'll find out soon enough. :D In the meantime, please do review! If you have any suggestions, you can place it with your review and I'll try to insert it in my story.  
  
Oh and by the way, is Maaya Sakimoto the one who sang "Yakusoku Wa Iranai"? If not, who sang it? Thanks!  
  
Bye for now! ^_^  
  
-------------- SabrinaYutsuki  
  
s=================================================================================== 


	5. Troubling Thoughts

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
  
ACT 5: Troubling Thoughts  
  
===================================================================================  
  
A/N: Yey! I made the next chapter...! Methinks i won't be able to update as soon as I would want to. I just started a new term a few days ago and it seems that i'm gonna be drowning in projects again. o_0 But rest assured, i'm still going to make time to write this, as well as my other fics. :D I like to thank again everyone who reviewed, especially to those who have placed me on their favorites list. ='_'= You made this chapter possible!  
  
Please review! Comments are VERY welcome!   
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin.  
  
Advertisement: Please read my other Esca fic, "Into the Abyss", if you have the time. It's a more angsty fic than this one. For Roswell fans: I suggest you read "It Was You" -- Liz/Zan fic :)  
  
Saotoshi: wow! Thanks so much for the reviews! *blushes* You can go hurt Yukari. Be my guest. Just not van! *hugs van like a cute stuffed toy* Don't worry, the v/h moments will come soon... in fact, it's starting this chapter! Um... peace sign? Actually, that's a tbc sign... *sweatdrops* i guess, it didn't look as nice up on the web, since they placed spaces in between each line. Oh well. I guess that's it! Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. ^_^ And thanks for reviewing Into the Abyss as well. I'll be updating that maybe next week. I'm still in quite a rut with how I'm going to continue the fic. But I think I have an idea brewing... *smirks*  
  
Sakura-Angel-04: Thanks! VH moments will be starting this chappy. But you should stay tuned for chapter 6. That's where sparks will really fly. :)  
  
lil_charat624: thanks! im glad you like it. *blushes* and don't worry. ^_^ ill be adding in background history subtly every now and then. So far i've only touched up on merle. and im sorry for the long wait. :)  
  
Rhapsody's Song: I know! But don't worry. She'll be the happiest woman alive at the end of this story... =)  
  
SabineballZ: *panics* Ack! Don't hang me please! VH moments will start this chappy. And yes. You did make the right prediction about Yukari. :D  
  
fireangel621: *salutes* Yes, ma'm! The VH moments are starting this chapter. But the real action will happen in chapter 6. So stay tuned. *laughs evilly* ^_^  
  
kcarrie: thanks a lot! I'm glad you like it. :D  
  
snooptopian: Thanks for the review! And don't worry! I'm already tightening some screws that were loose in Van's head so that he'll finally see his love for Hitomi. :D Oooh, and since i updated soon, can i please have a cookie? can i? *feels her tummy grumble suddenly* whoops. I better go to my kitchen and get me some food... o_0  
  
katana-chan: I know, Ma'aya's sings well! And don't worry the two idiots will get together soon. :D You're feeling jealous for hitomi? Well, I'm feeling jealous of Yukari for ME! hehe. Anywayz, thanks a lot for the review! Hope you like this chapter!  
  
===================================================================================  
  
Hitomi Kanzaki ran as fast as she could towards the large doors, breathing evenly to a rhythm her long legs followed perfectly. Beads of sweat started to drip from her creamy skin as she increased her speed to a notch, glancing at her wristwatch every so often, cursing silently at herself for waking up so late.  
  
The words coach Miguel had just said a few days ago rang in her head like a sick tune out of an old horror film. 'Anyone late AGAIN will learn the true meaning of PAIN, and will wish they were never born!' The word 'pain' echoed in her mind and Hitomi had to shake her head furiously to concentrate on her running, and to make sure she won't trip on any obstacles that might delay her further.  
  
Finally, the small figures before her started to look more like people, and Hitomi let out a relieved sigh as she saw that they were all just stretching, and that their coach was nowhere to be found.  
  
Her relief, however, betrayed her as she finally reached her teammates. Most of them, especially Zan and Eito, gave her pitiful looks, and she realized what they meant when she finally saw her coach just a few feet away from her, chestnut brows furrowed in irritation.  
  
"KANZAKI! What did I say about being LATE?!"  
  
Hitomi bowed down profusely, blood rushing down her head.  
  
"I'm really sorry coach, you see..."  
  
"I DON'T NEED TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSE, KANZAKI! I DON'T CARE IF YOUR GRANDMOTHER DIED, OR IF YOUR HOUSE WAS TAKEN AWAY BY THE IRS, OR IF YOUR BOYFRIEND DUMPED YOU. THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU'RE LATE AND YOU KNOW FULLY WELL HOW I REACT TOWARDS TARDINESS!"  
  
Hitomi fought back the tears that were stinging her emerald eyes. She was only late for a minute and it wasn't *her* fault that her car broke down. Besides, she had a very bad night, constantly thinking of a certain raven-haired idiot. She could feel a tear drop sliding down her cheek when a fellow teammate suddenly cleared his throat and spoke.  
  
"Excuse me, coach..."  
  
"WHAT, CAPTAIN SCHEZAR?"  
  
"It's really my fault, Coach Labariel. You see, I called a few of them to run a few laps last night. With the upcoming competition, I figured they needed all the training they could get. Apparently, we got a little carried away and finished longer than we had initially planned for.  
  
The coach's temper settled down a tad. Miguel Labariel *had* always respected the captain of the track team greatly for his courteousness, and his dedication to the team. And it helped that he held the best track time in the school.  
  
"Is that so? And how many laps were you able to make last night?"  
  
"Thirty, coach."  
  
"I see. Well then. Since it *is* the first time Kanzaki was late, I guess I'll go easy on her. And since, you all seem to be very _enthusiastic_ about preparing for the upcoming competition then..."  
  
Miguel's cobalt eyes danced with delight as he smirked evilly.  
  
"Go and run THIRTY FIVE laps. STRAIGHT."  
  
The whole team groaned but complained no more. After a quick stretch, they all started running, silently hoping that a thunder will suddenly strike their coach. Hitomi stared at Amano, still surprised at how he had backed her up, but immediately made her way to the track as well, not wanting to anger the coach more than she had already done. Amano ran beside her, following the pace Hitomi had made, smiling just as usual. The chestnut-haired girl's curiosity got the better of her as she turned her gaze to Amano.  
  
"Amano... why did you help me?"  
  
Amano smiled warmly at her. "Because... I take care of my teammates. Especially... my favorite teammates."  
  
Hitomi's cheeks reddened at what he had just said, but she smiled in spite of the discomfort she felt after hearing such a remark.  
  
"Well... Thanks."  
  
It was now Amano's turn to react to what she said. His smile grew even larger than ever, and he felt his heart race. He kept his cool, however, and winked at her.  
  
"No problem. I'd gladly do it again anytime. Come on, I'll race you."  
  
And at that, Amano sped up, leaving Hitomi in a small cloud of dust.  
  
Hitomi could only grin wider. 'It's not going to be such a bad day after all.' She felt the wind on her hair hit her sharply as she gained on Amano with little effort.  
  
"Is that all you got, captain?", Hitomi playfully taunted her.  
  
And the race began, both of them laughing despite the fatigue, their other teammates looking at them like they had gone mad from the sun.  
  
-------------------*------------------------*---------------------*--------------  
  
A hot shower was like heaven to the members of the Kamakura Kita track team. Girls and boys alike filed up to their perspective shower rooms and relished the feel of the hot water trickling down their tired body. Hitomi Kanzaki sighed in content as she felt the hot steam surrounding her and the way each drop of water hit her spine like they were massaging it. Five minutes... Ten minutes passed... Much to her dismay, she had to turn off the water, and prepare for her class. As soon as she did so, she felt the strain in her muscle joints, making it difficult for her to wipe herself with her towel. Nevertheless, she managed, trying to get used to this rigorous training Coach Miguel was giving them practically every session lately.  
  
As soon as she got her clothes from the locker, and put them on gingerly, she was greeted by her fellow teammate, Stephanie, who was grinning widely as ever.  
  
"At least someone's enjoying Coach Miguel's training", Hitomi said in a sarcastic but playful tone.  
  
Stephanie laughed in a sly way, as if she knew something that others didn't. "I don't think _I_ was the only one who enjoyed today's training. I think two seniors enjoyed it even more."  
  
Hitomi caught on immediately and felt her cheeks warm up. This made Stephanie smirk even wider. The raven-haired girl let out an exaggerated sigh. "Love's in the air!" "Stop it, Steph. He was just being a nice captain is all."  
  
"Really now? Are you sure the late night training Amano said earlier wasn't a late night rendezvous?", Steph said, winking. The emerald-eyed senior blushed even more. "Don't be silly! We did NOT have a late night rendezvous! And actually, we didn't have a late night training either..." The sophomore squealed. "So you mean Amano-Sempai just covered up for you like that? That is so sweet!"  
  
"Stop it, Steph. You're embarassing me. And like I said he was only doing that as a captain. Nothing more", Hitomi claimed.  
  
"God, Hitomi-Sempai! Either you're an awful liar or you are totally clueless."  
  
The senior gave her a confused look.  
  
"Oh my gosh, so you are clueless about it!"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Sempai! He likes you... And more than just a friend! Don't you notice how he talks to you?"  
  
Hitomi shook her head, and the sophomore sighed in frustration.  
  
"God, I can't believe you never noticed. And you've been like teammates, for what? Three years?"  
  
"Four."  
  
"Four! Four freakin' years!"  
  
Hitomi shrugged. "I didn't notice!"  
  
"Okay whatever. Now that you know, the question is do YOU like him more than just a friend?"  
  
The senior felt weird, hearing this from someone younger than her, and at the moment, felt like she was talking to an older sister. None the less, she replied.  
  
"Well... I used to... But then during the latter part of my second year, I realized it wasn't going to work. And... I moved on."  
  
Steph frowned, but tried to keep the environment cheery.  
  
"Then that would mean you have someone else in mind."  
  
Hitomi felt her cheeks reach a ridiculously high temperature.  
  
"Yeah... But then... he likes someone else."  
  
The sophomore could say nothing. She mentally whacked herself in the head for failing to make the mood happier and making things worse.  
  
"Well Hitomi-sempai. If you ask me, he's an idiot for not liking you. You're a really nice person and I think some day, you'll find someone for you."  
  
Hitomi smiled. "Thanks, Steph-chan. Now enough of me. What's up with you and Zan?" She let out a mischievous smirk and felt victorious as she saw the other girl's cheeks redden worse than hers.  
  
"W...what? N-nothing! Nothing at all!"  
  
"Right... And you two hanging out all the time and whispering to each other doesn't mean a thing right?"  
  
"Sempai, I just remembered I need to go somewhere. Bye!"  
  
With that, the jet black-haired girl zoomed towards the door and left. The senior could only smile. 'Kids.'  
  
She reached for her favorite green and purple duffel laid on one of the benches.  
  
'Well. Guess that's my cue to go to class myself.'  
  
As soon as she left the shower room, she saw a mass of wet sandy brown hair and a suave grin. She tried not to blush, despite her newfound knowledge about him.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Hey, 'tomi! You don't mind if we walk to class together, do you?"  
  
"No, not at all. Hope you didn't wait too long."  
  
"Nope. It's okay. Is everything alright inside the shower room?"  
  
Hitomi gave a puzzled look. "Yeah. Why?"  
  
Amano shrugged. "I don't know. I just saw Stephanie run out of the room like she saw a rat."  
  
Emerald eyes danced with amusement. "Ah, that. Well, actually, I just told her that I knew about her and Zan and she ran away."  
  
Amano lifted his pointing finger. "Ah, so she DID see a rat."  
  
Hitomi raised her left eyebrow and hit him playfully with his duffle bag. "Watch it, Schezar or I may just bite like one."  
  
The captain of the track team laughed.  
  
The wind seemed to have taken away their voices as they walked towards the field, silent, Hitomi looking at the clear blue sky every now and then, and Amano just staring straight.  
  
-------------------*------------------------*---------------------*--------------  
  
"So... Hitomi... I was wondering...", Amano felt his voice prolonging at the end of each syllable, as they neared their respective classrooms.  
  
Hitomi looked at him for the first time in their walk. "Hmm?"  
  
"You know the dance coming up next month?"  
  
Hitomi nodded and felt an inkling as to where the conversation was heading.  
  
"Well... Do you have a date already?"  
  
"Nope. Do you?"  
  
Amano smiled. "Neither do I. So... you want to come with me? I mean if you don't have anyone else in mind, that is...", the captain said with a cool tone.  
  
"Sure, I'd love to go with you."  
  
The boy beamed with happiness. "Great! So... I'll just pick you up at your house that day right?"  
  
Hitomi nodded.  
  
"Great! Well... I gotta go to my class now. Bye!"   
  
And at that, Amano's image disappeared and Hitomi shook her head as she walked to her classroom, trying to figure out whether Amano inviting her was a dream come true, or not.  
  
She was too deep in her thoughts that she had accidentally bumped into someone she didn't really want to see at the moment...  
  
-------------------*------------------------*---------------------*--------------  
  
"Van! I'm sorry I'm such a klutz!", Hitomi said while she stooped down to pick up her duffle bag.  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm okay." Van said in his usual monotone voice, quickly scooping up Hitomi's bag before she could even touch it. He gave it to her and Hitomi mouthed a thank you.  
  
Van looked at her, an unasked question evident in his face.  
  
"Are you okay, Hitomi? You seem kinda shook up."  
  
"No! I'm okay! Just... a little tired."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
Van had his questioned look still on but grinned eventually.  
  
"Well, that's good cause tomorrow night's the concert already!"  
  
Hitomi suddenly remembered and got excited.  
  
"Oh yeah! I totally forgot! I am SO ready to go!"  
  
"Cool. You have a ride going there?"  
  
"Yeah... I'll probably force my mom to bring me or..."  
  
"No need to. I can pick you up", Van said nonchalantly.  
  
"You sure it's okay?"  
  
"Yeah, why not?"  
  
"Well... okay then..."  
  
"So I'll pick you up around 9 pm okay?"  
  
"Yup... I live in Narra Street, 194."  
  
Van mentally noted the address and nodded. "Got it."  
  
"Okay then, great! I can't wait to see them up close!"  
  
Van smiled again and they both went to their biology class, not at all dreading the lecture they would be having.  
  
===================================================================================  
  
a/n: sorry this chapter's so short! i've been really busy lately... o_0 anywayz, i hope you like it! amano's asked her out... and she said yes...! gasp! anywayz, you all wait for the next chapter. I have a lot of ideas *cough*v/h ideas*cough* for it. i can't wait! heehee. well, pls. review! =)  
  
=================================================================================== 


	6. Misunderstood Apology

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
  
ACT 6: A Misunderstood Apology  
  
==========================================================================================  
  
A/N: New year, new chapter! Hope it's okay. :) Once again, I apologize for the delay. My course doesn't give me a lot of spare time... o_0 But now it's Christmas break and I can write again! Anyway, about the story... I know I said that chapter 5 will be the start of the VH moments but as I was writing chapter 5, I realized that placing VH scenes will make it seem too forced. So instead, Chapter 6 will be where the "action" starts. hee hee. Well i guess that's it. Thanks to all my readers, esp. those who reviewed and even placed me in their favorites list! ***** HaPpY HoLiDaYs people! =) *****  
  
katana-chan: yup, i know! amano is sweet! *sighs* nope! you can't have van! van is mine! van is mine! *screams like a deranged fan but immediately goes back to sanity* oops... sorry about that. ^^Thanks for the review and i hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy Holidays! :D  
  
lil_charat624, snow blossoms! and Starry: thank you!!! happy holidays! and i hope you enjoy reading this chapter :)  
  
escawing: yup i love highschool fics for vh too! :D well, i hope you like this chapter! happy holidays! ^^  
  
SabineballZ: god! you read my mind! are you psychic? :) i hope you like this chapter! and i hope you love the complicated-ness (is there even such a word? hehe) of this story as much as i do. heehee. happy holidays!  
  
Saotoshi: haha... well don't worry. i did say this was a vh fic. :) how van would react? you'll just have to wait and see. *laughs evilly* Happy holidays!  
  
Rhapsody's Song: lol... you should trim down your sugar intake... anywhoo, i hope you like this chapter and i'm sorry i wasn't able to write faster. o_0 Happy holidays! :D  
  
IcyZephyrGirl: There. i updated. heehee. hope you like this chappy. Happy holidays! :)  
  
Sakura onto Hitomi: oohh cookie cookie cookie!!! *drools* ahem... sorry about that. and i know how you feel! i wanna tie them up together too! but don't worry they'll figure things out soon! :) happy holidays! :)  
  
Wink57CS: i know i know i'm sorry the V/H moments didn't come last chapter. But there are here! :) So i hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy holidays! :) thank you for liking my characters!  
  
fireangel621: ack! don't burn me please! but there are v/h moments here so i hope i redeemed myself! ^_^ thanks for the review! happy holidays!  
  
dilly-sammas luver: thanks for the review!!! :) don't stalk and burn me please...! *cowers in fear* these threats are really creeping me out... lol. ^^ i hope i updated soon enough! happy holidays! :)  
  
Bry H: hehe... count me in the "hyper people" list. lol. Glad you liked the story and hope you enjoy this chappy! happy holidays! :)  
  
Please review! Comments are VERY welcome!   
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin. And the lyrics at the start of my story is from the song, "Swing Swing" by All American Rejects, which means I don't own it either. The lyrics to "Loser", however, is mine.  
  
Advertisement: Please read my other Esca fic, "Into the Abyss", if you have the time. It's a more angsty fic than this one. For Roswell fans: I suggest you read "It Was You" -- Liz/Zan fic :)  
  
==========================================================================================  
  
"Days swiftly come and go.  
  
I'm dreaming of her  
  
She's seeing other guys  
  
Emotions they stir  
  
The sun is gone.  
  
The nights are long  
  
And I am left while the tears fall."  
  
Hitomi looked at herself in the mirror while she hummed Stellar's hit single, "Swing Swing". She was in quite a good mood, singing even louder as she got to the chorus, while straightening out the creases of her light blue, long-sleeved, cotton shirt. She turned 90 degress to see herself sideways, liking how her flared denim jeans fell to her black low-heeled shoes. As the song in her head ended, her final check in the mirror ended as well. She got her tiny blue bag from the top of the mahogany drawer a few steps away from her and walked to the door, only to realize she had forgotten something important. She rushed towards her drawer again, and took out a blue elastic from it. 'Wouldn't want my hair to get in my way of headbanging', Hitomi thought amusingly while hastily tying her hair in a high ponytail.  
  
Just then, the doorbell had rang.  
  
'Perfect timing.'  
  
Hitomi opened the door and ran downstairs to the living room, her shoes causing a distinct noise each time it connected with the carpeted floor. Panting, she got to the main door and laughed to herself, thinking how she could go to school early if she was this enthusiastic every morning. Unfortunately though, she wasn't such a morning person.  
  
She opened the door and saw Van looking cool as ever. He was donning a fairly tight V-neck red shirt, dark blue jeans, and black bowling shoes. His hair still looked like it had just dried naturally from a shower, but the messy do suited him perfectly. While Hitomi inconspicuously scrutinized him, Van did the same and liked what he saw as well. He never did go for the girls who overdressed, especially for occassions such as this.  
  
"So are you ready to go?", Van sincerely asked.  
  
"Yup! Definitely!" Hitomi said, nodding vigorously, causing her ponytail to bounce.  
  
She yelled a loud 'bye' to her mom and closed the door behind her as Van lead her to his car, which looked as cool as he did. The silver Audi looked like it had been cleaned and buffed just this morning. Van opened the door for her, revealing the leather interior. She climbed inside as Van jogged to the driver seat. While she waited for Van to start the car, Hitomi looked at her surroundings. She noticed that Van liked to keep things simple. There were no trinkets anywhere, which only made the car look classier. Her observations were disturbed by the whir of the car engine. Pretty soon, they were away from Hitomi's house and her neighberhood.  
  
The conversation in the ride was lively. Van had popped an Our Lady Peace CD inside his player, and the band became their first topic, which later moved them on to other bands and other music genres. When the topic was starting to bore them, Hitomi decided to pose a question that half of her didn't really want to ask.  
  
"So, why didn't you invite Yukari?"  
  
Van shrugged. "I don't know. She doesn't seem like the type to listen to this kind of music anyway. And..."   
  
Van decided not to complete his sentence as his last word faded with the music from the player.  
  
Hitomi pried further. "And what?"  
  
"Nothing." He dismissed the question immediately and changed the topic.  
  
Hitomi wondered what was wrong but decided not to think about it. Somehow, Hitomi knew he'd say it sooner or later if there was really something bothering him.  
  
It seemed only minutes when they started to see dozens of cars parked in the sidewalk, and people running to one destination. Hitomi's heart raced with excitement. Her favorite band was just a couple miles away preparing for the concert, and she was actually going to hear and see them play. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't in Dream Land.  
  
"Let's just park here. I'm pretty sure there won't be any space left a couple of blocks down", Van said, referring to an empty space in front of them.  
  
"Yeah sure", Hitomi replied and Van parked the car smoothly.  
  
They stepped out and Hitomi quickly walked forward, Van behind her. "Come on, slowpoke!", Hitomi shouted and Van, grinning, picked up his pace until he was beside her.   
  
"Someone's excited", Van noted.  
  
"Of course! This is STELLAR we're talking about! Aren't you excited?"  
  
"Hell yeah! But you do realize we're an hour early, right?"  
  
"Yeah I know! We might be late!"  
  
Van chuckled and merely walked as quick as she was. He didn't really want to argue with an excited fan.  
  
When they arrived at the venue, Van and Hitomi realized that the others were just as excited as they were. The energy was sky-scraping as people were starting to cheer the band on to start already. The two joined in the fun, shouting as well.  
  
Finally, all their waiting paid off. The lights were dim but there were now silhouettes of people moving onto the stage causing the crowd to cheer even more. Anticipation welled inside everyone. Van's russet eyes and Hitomi's emerald orbs grew wide as plates and were hardly blinking for fear that they might miss anything. Heavy strumming from an electric guitar filled the open field and almost instantly, everybody knew that it was the opening to one of their best songs, "Loser". The drums started beating the familiar rhythm, the lights went on erratically, and soon the song was played full blast with the bass guitar and vocals, escalating the applause to a greater amplitude.  
  
The singer, a thin guy who had spiky chestnut brown hair and green eyes, held the mic close to his mouth as he sang the lyrics to the song in a fairly upbeat tempo, betraying the song's sad message. Hitomi sang with him perfectly in her head. She knew the lyrics all too well.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Little Miss Pretty  
  
Walked by me again  
  
She's everything to me  
  
But she doesn't know who I am  
  
So call me Mr. Coward  
  
Call me Mr. Fool  
  
I think I'm smart enough  
  
To see she's in love with Mr. Cool  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
And somehow, she could relate to the song.  
  
Just call her Ms. Fool.  
  
She snuck a glance at Van, who was apparently enjoying the concert as much. He didn't act as excited as Hitomi, but his rust eyes were windows to his soul. Tonight, his eyes were glowing with energy. Hitomi smiled and got back to the concert just in time for her favorite part of the song. Now wasn't the time for self-pity. Now was the time to have the time of her life.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"That was one cool concert." Van said, beads of sweat matted to his forehead. He rested his head on the car seat, and heaved a sigh. Hitomi grinned widely and agreed with Van with matching gestures. Van could only chuckle at how hyper Hitomi was, now more so than ever.  
  
Hitomi's face became curious. "What's so funny?"  
  
Van turned his ignition on and nonchalantly replied, "You", causing the girl he was reffering to to pout.  
  
"Excuse me! And why am I funny?"  
  
"Don't worry 'Tomi. It's not a bad thing. It's not like I'm telling you you look funny."  
  
"Fine, whatever you say", Tomi said in a sing-song voice.  
  
Van could only chuckle some more. "So you wanna go grab a bite to eat first?"  
  
"Sure! I'm starving."  
  
"How about that burger joint just a couple of miles ahead."  
  
"Okay"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I still can't believe you manage to stay thin after everything you just ate", Van said amusingly.  
  
"What? I didn't eat a lot! I ate the same things you did!"  
  
"Twice as much plus a chocolate milkshake!"  
  
Hitomi was stumped for retorts. "Well... I run a lot so I need the energy!", she said slightly blushing.  
  
Van chortled. "Don't worry. I mean if you can get away with eating all that then by all means eat like that all the time."  
  
"That I will do." She drank the remaining milkshake with her straw, and yawned. Sleep was starting to get to her, after all the excitement that had gone through that night. Van noticed and decided they should call it a night.  
  
The drive back to the Kanzaki residence was quiet, mostly because Hitomi was drowsy already. By the time they reached the house, Hitomi had dozed off. Van observed her sleeping face and for the umpteenth time, he found her beautiful. Van's cheeks started to redden but he immediately released his gaze from her. He knew nothing could ever happen between them but a nagging thought kept on asking him 'why not?'. Then suddenly, his cruel mind put Yukari in the picture, causing further confusion.  
  
He dismissed all his inner ramblings and shook Hitomi up from her slumber. Hitomi fluttered her eyes open gently and yawned. "Am I home?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
She rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Van, I had a great time. Thanks." She said it with a genuine smile on her face.  
  
"I had a great time, too."  
  
"So, I'll see you in class tomorrow then."  
  
She had opened her door and put one foot outside the car when a strong hand grabbed her arm.  
  
"Wait."  
  
Hitomi, puzzled, turned around to see Van's serious face, whose cheeks were now tainted pink.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Somehow, the emerald-eyed girl felt her cheeks burning up too, for no apparent reason.  
  
Van's face moved closer to her until they were only inches apart. Hitomi could hear Van's breathing and vice versa, causing them to blush even redder.  
  
"Hitomi... I..." Van felt his voice wavering. He mentally scolded himself. Why did he call her name in the first place? What did he want to tell her? And why were words jumbling up in his mind? He silently cursed at himself. He was never really good with words... with emotions... with... _this_.   
  
Whatever 'this' was.   
  
He knew he had to let her go. Say goodnight and apologize... Say that he forgot what he was supposed to say.  
  
But his illogical side took the better of him and he moved closer to her. Then he did something he would have never imagined he was capable of doing.  
  
He kissed her.  
  
And if that was unexpected, the next thing that happened was impossible.  
  
She closed her eyes and kissed him back.  
  
Van moved his face away from her abruptly for fear of saying or doing the wrong thing like he has been so good at doing in the past. His mind raced for the right words to say but nothing coherent could come out. Hitomi, surprised by the sudden lack of heat, opened her emerald irises and saw that he mirrored her emotions - confusion, surprise, and... satisfaction?  
  
Hitomi furrowed her brows. She had no idea why she kissed him back.   
  
No, that was a lie. She knew why. She liked him. And even if she tried to deny her feelings, her heart knew her better. But why _he_ kissed _her_ was a mystery to her. Could it be that he...? Hitomi didn't finish her thoughts. They were too absurd anyway.  
  
Finally, Van's mind cleared up a little. He decided to say the first words he thought of that made some aota of sense to fill in the void.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Only to realize that they were the dumbest thing anyone could say at the situation.  
  
Hitomi's emotions were unreadable. Her usual vivacious eyes were now dim and Van could not tell what thoughts were running through her head. He did, however, have a big hunch she was thinking the same thing he did.   
  
He was an idiot.  
  
The raven-haired boy wanted to take back what he said but there was no way to. Once words are spoken they can never be erased.   
  
Life was cruel that way.  
  
So he did what people who make mistakes often do.  
  
He tried to explain.  
  
"Hitomi, that's not..."  
  
She placed a hand near his face and interrupted him.  
  
"Whatever you're gonna say, don't. I understand, Van. I do. You're sorry that it was me and not Yukari. You're sorry that you kissed me."  
  
Hitomi put up a brave front and smiled. Her lips were slightly quivering but she pressed on. "Don't worry. I won't tell Yukari what happened."  
  
Van was at a loss for words again. His mind was playing a trick on him. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't that... He was sorry because...  
  
Hell he *wasn't* sorry. He wanted to kiss her.  
  
But what of Yukari? Didn't he like her?  
  
His mind's gear was turning too slowly. He heard a thud - the sound of a car door being closed shut. Hitomi had left, and he could only look at her retreating form.  
  
Van cursed openly. He would have to talk to her. But he would have to know what he wanted to say first. He turned on his car's engine and drove off, cursing the whole time.  
  
==========================================================================================  
  
A/N: Just to make it clear, the song "Swing Swing" comes from the All American Rejects. NOT Stellar. As far as I know, there is no band called Stellar. :) The lyrics for "Loser", on the other hand, was made by me, so I own it. :) I hope you liked this chapter. This is the start of Van's confusion. Van actually kissed Hitomi! aahh! But what will happen to Yukari now?! Well, you just have to wait for the rest of the chapters to find out! :D To all the avid VH fans out there, I know it was cruel for me to make Van hurt Hitomi that way but I figured Van was the type to screw things up especially when it comes to situations like those. But don't worry. He won't remain an idiot for long! So...  
  
Please review! Thanks! And I hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! :) Bye!  
  
========================================================================================== 


	7. The Aftermath

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
  
ACT 7: The Aftermath

* * *

A/N: Woohoo! Another chappy! Enjoy!!! :) I apologize for the delay. Writer's block really sucks. o0 Plus, I had so many other things going on... Anywho, read on!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin.  
  
Plug: Please read my other Esca fic, "Into the Abyss", if you have the time. It's a more angsty fic than this one. For Roswell fans: I suggest you read "It Was You" -- Liz/Zan fic :)  
  
Please review! Comments are VERY welcome!  
  
SabineballZ: Gomen ne for the long wait! Had a case of writer's block. o0 Glad you liked chapter 6. :) I know. Van's a total idiot. whacks Van in the head But don't worry he'll come to... Hope you like this chapter and thanks for the review!  
  
fireangel1621: So sorry for the long wait! That darn writer's block got to me. I hope this chapter will make it up to you. I wouldn't want to know what you do to authors who don't update soon shudders. o0 I know, Van's such an idiot! But I guess it's because he's nervous and he really likes Hitomi... awww... hehe. Thanks for the review (although you did scare me a wee bit - lol). Hope you like this chapter!  
  
Sakura onto Hitomi: You're kidding!!! You mean there's really a band called Stellar? What kind of music do they play? Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked the song. I enjoyed writing it. :) "Swing swing" is a pretty cool song. You should go check it out. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Saotoshi: Van - "OUCH! Don't do that! It's not my fault. It's this author's fault I did that! Not me! " sound of another shoe hitting his head SabrinaYutsuki - Ahem... Don't mind Van. He gets a little cranky at times. Don't worry. Ill fix the whole dillema sooner or later! :) Thanks for the review!  
  
dilly-sammas luver: Thanks!!! :) Sorry for the late update! Hope you like this chapter.  
  
katana-chan: Thank you for the review! You can have Amano. Be my guest! Although you do have a point there. Van just has too many admirers. haha. Sorry for the late update!  
  
Rhapsody's Song: haha sorry for the confusion. You should go check out their other songs. They're cool, too. :) Glad you liked the lyrics and sorry for the late update!  
  
sweetlife: Thanks! Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Kya77: Thank you for the review! It really did get my writing juices flowing more. :) Hope you like this chapter!  
  
Mini-MoonStar: Thanks! Glad you like it and hope you like this chapter too! =)  
  
aoi-hitomi: Thanks for the wake-up call! Gomen ne for the REALLY late update. I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

* * *

Hitomi heaved a heavy sigh as she opened the handle of her Jetta's door and walked towards the old building where she had spent so many years in. She rubbed her drowsy eyes that held evidence of two bad nights' sleep, and stifled a yawn. The other night had been both one of the best nights of her life and one of the worst. If only Van had not called her back, then she would have at least had a good last picture in her mind to lull her to peaceful sleep. Instead, all Hitomi could visualize during the whole weekend was the terrible incident in the car.  
  
Her mother had caught her dazing off during the weekend for so many times, she was surprised that her mother had not sent her to the hospital for diagnosis. Instead, she had just patted her on her shoulder or had just given her an extra helping of her special creamy mashed potatoes over lunch. It was only on Sunday night, while Hitomi helped her mother prepare a salad, did her mother finally ask what was wrong. At first, the teenager had muttered a quiet and unconvincing "nothing" and had returned to slicing the ripe, red tomatoes, but all it took was her mother's "Okay dear. Just let me know if anything's bothering you", and her prolonged silence as she washed the lettuce methodically for Hitomi to suddenly let out a frustrated cry and tell her mother all about what happened after the concert, blushing of course when she came to the part when they kissed.  
  
After Hitomi had pretty much said everything (and had squished a few tomatoes in the process), her mother gave a warm smile and laughed, "Boys will always be boys. They say the stupidest things." She kissed her daughter on the head. "Don't worry. Just give him some time. He won't be able to resist and he'll explain. From what you said, it seems like you didn't give him the chance to explain."  
  
Hitomi dumped the last plum tomato slice on the salad bowl and sighed. "I guess you're right..."  
"Thanks, mom."  
Her mother smiled.  
  
"Oh and Hitomi?"  
"Hmm...?"  
"You had better introduce him to me one of these days."  
The chestnut-haired teenager chuckled. 'And mothers will always be mothers.'  
  
The green-eyed girl bit her glossy lip as she awoke from her flashback. She had come to a decision in the wee hours of the morning before she had finally fallen asleep that she was going to forget about what happened. She would take her mother's advice and wait for him to give an explanation. Otherwise, it never happened. It was the best thing to do. By the time her sneakers graced the hallways, she had a small smile on her face. First class was Philosophy and Van wasn't going to be there.  
  
The teacher, a tall thin man with a grey beard, walked to class in his usual calm pace. His numerous wrinkles and freckles gave away his old age immediately, while his aura and his diction gave away his wisdom. As soon as he was at the center of the blackboard, he set his leather case filled with books on the science of thought on the wooden desk, cleared his throat, and spoke in his booming voice.  
  
The class immediately hushed down. Dr. Dornkirk was one of the most highly respected teachers in the high school and the class was certainly honored to have him as their teacher.  
  
The professor looked at his students in the eye and finally spoke in his low, distinguished, English voice.  
  
"Love."  
  
He uttered the word while he wrote a big version of it on the blackboard.  
  
Hitomi mentally groaned. Fate did have its ways to remind mortals of their problems.  
  
"I'm sure many of you have been a victim of this ethereal emotion at least once in your life? Even an old man like me has once. Although I lost faith in it altogether when she left and sued me."  
  
The class laughed.  
  
"In any case, that anecdote might be good 'As the World Turns' material but it is definitely not good class material. My point is, everyone is probably as befuddled as I am with love. Is that not true?"  
  
Heads nodded almost unconsciously. Hitomi found herself doing the same.  
  
"Today, we will touch up on this obscure entity many have fallen prey to." With a wink, he turned to the blackboard and wrote 'EROS', 'PHILIA', and 'AGAPE'. And the lecture continued.  
  
Minutes passed like seconds, students all listening to their teacher, probably more intently than usual. Notebook pages flipped every now and then, but aside from that, the class was silent.  
  
The sound of the bell ringing ended the intriguing discussion on love. By the end of the class, the blackboard was covered in white residues, and the once long chalk was now reduced to the size of a tiny pebble. Students walked outside the classroom chatting away and Hitomi silently headed to the cafeteria where her friends would be.

* * *

Lunch was filled with an uncomfortable aura. Hitomi kept her replies curt, while she played with her nearly untouched food. Merle and Dilandau noticed this and immediately realized that there was something wrong with their green-eyed friend, since lunch was meatloaf and it was her favorite dish. Van, on the other hand, looked down on his dish the whole time that blood was rushing through his head. The pink-haired girl looked from her best friend to her cousin and made a mental note to ask Hitomi about it later during their History class.  
  
The bleak atmosphere was so contagious that Merle and Dilandau found themselves mutely picking at their dishes as well and avoiding any long conversations. Even Millerna's obnoxious laugh was paid no attention or scorn. Only the sound of the bell pierced through their ears. For once, it was a sound none of them dreaded.  
  
Hitomi immediately grabbed her blue body bag, slung it over her shoulder, and left the cafeteria. She knew Merle was going to pry and force answers from her, so she picked up her pace as she headed for the staircase leading to her classroom. Hitomi prayed to Lady Luck that there will no longer be any vacant seats in her vicinity when Merle arrives. She knew, however, that the possibility of her prayers being answered was as big as the possibility of her getting a Ferrari sports car for her birthday... or a new car altogether. History classrooms would usually fill up at the latter half of the discussion, when the teacher would take their attendance. Nobody really enjoyed listening to the problems and feats of dead guys who passed away too long ago for them to be interesting.  
  
When she entered the classroom, she found that her assumption was correct. The classroom was empty save for two students who were seated in opposite corners of the room. In the front row corner was Chid, the smartest kid in the school, now that Folken was gone. Contrary to popular belief that smart people always dressed like nerds, Chid looked quite decent... a little too decent for a high school such as this. He wore a crisp blue collared shirt that brought out the piercing blue of his eyes, and a necktie, with matching black slacks and leather shoes. He looked like he was all dressed up for an elite business school, or even for a power meeting, but such was the way of dressing he was brought up to mimic. He came from a rich family that held the biggest oil stock in Freid, and the only reason Chid was in this public school was that he wanted to mingle with "different" people, and that he had grown tired of the "usual" atmosphere that private schools had. His parents had reluctantly agreed. Despite his height, his IQ level, and his group of friends (the stereotypical geeks), no bullies were brave enough to taunt or harass him for fear of what his parents might do to them with all the power they held. Chid's father was, after all, also a renowned senator. As a result, Chid had enjoyed his stay in Kamakura Kita immensely.  
  
Way back in the corner beside the window was Dalet, who was currently sleeping, probably since his previous class. Dalet and Dilandau used to be the best of friends during grade school, always getting into trouble together. But things had changed. Dalet continued his childish behavior while Dilandau focused most of his mayhem-making energy in the past to other things... like fire, flames, burning... you get the picture. The young man had propped his feet up the seat in front of him and was leaning against the gray wall, his chestnut hair a mess. He looked so innocent while he slept that she would not have thought he was a frequent visitor of the disciplinary office had she seen him today for the first time.  
  
Hitomi finally took a seat in the other corner at the back and tapped her ballpen to pass the time. Finally, a fluff of pink hair appeared at the door causing the emerald-eyed girl to immediately scrutinize her desk's doodles, admiring the "PUSH THIS BUTTON TO EJECT THE TEACHER" that was neatly scraped on the mahogany wood. Merle sighed exasperatedly and took a seat beside her.  
  
"Hi-to-mi. You can't avoid me forever now, can you?"No response.  
  
"HITOMI!!!"  
  
Merle screamed, causing Chid and the other students who had just come in to look at her. Surprisingly, Dalet was still sleeping soundly. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and pouted. She was never the patient type.  
  
Hitomi finally looked at her, not wanting another scene to occur. As stoically as possible, she responed, "What do you want, Merle?"  
  
Merle huffed. "Oh come on, Hitomi. Don't give me that innocent response. Honestly, you can be so like Van sometimes."  
  
At the mention of the three-letter word, Hitomi's expression turned grim. Merle's facial expressions softened. It didn't take a detective to realize that Hitomi did have a problem with or concerning her cousin.  
  
"What did he do to you?"  
  
Hitomi shook her head.  
  
"Nothing, really..."  
  
Merle placed her tanned hand on her friend's shoulder.  
  
"Come on. You can tell me anything."  
  
Hitomi sighed, knowing that her friend was not going to stop being persistent even if the classroom suddenly caught fire. She gave a brief account of the other night's happening and after five minutes, two people now knew what happened after the concert, aside from Van and her.  
  
The Filipina's eyes widened after the Japanese girl stopped talking. Her cousin had done stupid things in the past but this was definitely one of the worst.  
  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT COUSIN OF MINE CAN BE SUCH AN AHOLE!"  
  
Again, the students looked at Merle. And again, Dalet sleeped on. Hitomi hushed her down, which caused the pink-haired girl to whisper. Even in her whispering, the rage was coating every word. "Honestly, Hitomi! He may be my cousin, but he's still such a jerk for saying that to you! It's like the worst thing you can say after a kiss!!!" Hitomi sighed but did not reply.  
  
Merle suddenly became silent.  
  
"Wait. Do you like Van?"  
  
Hitomi buried her face in her hands as her cheeks suddenly grew hot.  
  
Merle smirked. The anger had dissipated and her rational side was finally awake.  
  
"Look. Van can be such a total a sometimes but one thing's for sure - he never hurts people on purpose. He's a pretty nice guy and I'm not saying that cause he's my cousin. He just has this habit of putting his foot in his mouth all the time. So you're not really sure what he meant by that. Maybe, they weren't the words he intended to say."  
  
The track runner bit her lower lip and spoke in a soft voice, "Or maybe they were."  
  
Merle's smile collapsed into a small frown. She never liked seeing her best friend in such a slump and she definitely didn't like not being able to give her solace.  
  
The pink-haired girl kept silent - something she rarely did. Hitomi patted her on her bare shoulder and smiled. "Look, Merle. It's no big. No, that's a lie. It is big, but there's really no use worrying about it, right?" Hitomi's best friend admired her for the way she was handling the situation. If it had been her, she would be in a mess, bawling 24-7, and drowning her self-pity in gallons of ice cream. Quite like what she had done when a jerk by the name of Folken hurt her feelings. But that was her. Hitomi had always been more mature than she was.  
  
"You're right, Tomi. And I'm sure Van's gonna explain sooner or later," she said, not really believing a hundred percent in her words. She and Van were cousins, but Van was always a closed book and kept to himself. And then there was the fact that he used to live miles away. Merle knew snatches of his personality, but they weren't enough to predict Van's actions. In the end, only Van could quell their worries.  
  
Finally, the teacher arrived. He dropped his bag on the table carefully, and when he finally wrote something with a piece of chalk, Dalet surprisingly woke up with a loud yelp and left the classroom. The class, along with the teacher himself, shook their heads. Dalet was certainly one hell of a character.

* * *

Exhaustion was an understatement.  
  
She felt like she was half dead, walking like there were lead weights on her feet. The weeks of rigorous training, the projects piling up, and THE incident had all taken their toll on her, as she leaned against her locker to grab her track uniform. Looking at her watch, she changed as fast as she could. She had enough time to swallow down a bagel and a cup of her favorite White Moccha coffee.  
  
When she got to the field, her team mates were still nowhere to be found. She breathed in relief and walked slowly towards the bleachers, feeling the cool wind on her face and the long damp grass tickling the bare part of her leg. The sun had almost set, and the sky was a slurry of pink and purple, with a narrow stretch of vermillion below. The clouds were like little cotton balls scattered above, pastel colors filtering through them. It was a remarkable sight - one of the best sunsets she'd seen. She had always held a deep affinity for sunsets, and had not failed to look at them each time she had track practice (except, of course, for those days she was running late). Even after several years, she marvelled at the fact that there were no two same sunsets. They always took different shapes daily, blending different colors out of whim. Their spontaneity was certainly an admirable trait - something Hitomi longed for in her humdrum existence where other people dictated her actions and time.  
  
As soon as she got to the bleachers, the sky had turned a deep purple hue and a little dot was coming towards her, not near enough for Hitomi to decipher who he or she was. Finally, the dot grew bigger until a burst of cyan appeared in her vision and she knew exactly who it was.  
  
"Amano!"  
She waved fervently at him, as he jogged towards her, a smile more perceptible each second he drew nearer her. When at last he was inches away from her, small dots began to appear in the distance again, but Hitomi and Amano were now too preoccupied to pay attention.  
  
Amano furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he scrutinized his teammate and his object of affection for around four years now. She looked quite harassed, and although it did nothing to undermine her beauty, he was worried for her state.  
  
"You okay? You look kinda harassed."  
Hitomi laughed softly. "Kinda harassed? You're too nice. You should try 'disastrous'."  
  
Amano cocked an eyebrow and grinned. "I wouldn't go THAT far."  
The sandy brown-haired woman merely smiled, since there were no other words to utter. The team captain smothered the silence with a playful retort - "Don't worry, Tomi. You're gonna feel much better after coach's training" - to which he was rewarded with a groan.  
  
"Oh god. Don't even remind me about it. Just thinking about it makes me more tired."  
  
Amano grinned mischievously. "If it's any consolation, you don't have to think about it anymore", nodding to the near distance where a man with good physique walked sternly towards them, a shiny whistle resting on his chest.  
  
Hitomi groaned. [Here we go again.]

* * *

"1"  
  
"2"  
  
"3"  
  
Hitomi puffed and panted as she made her way to her fourth lap.  
  
"4"  
  
And drew short intakes of air at her seventh lap.  
  
"7"  
  
So that when her feet touched the part of the track adorned with a thick white line for the 10th time, she was already at a point of devastation, her chest a fragile ribcage cradling a ton of bricks.  
  
She stopped abruptly at the finish line, bending forward, with her hands firmly rested on her knees. She immediately regretted stopping as she felt the tension rush to her muscles and the full force of fatigue pound at every joint. She shrugged it off, however. It wasn't as if the pain was foreign to her... and yet somehow, that very day, every sensation had suddenly grown in magnitude. As she moved her neck from side to side, she caught sight of the other end of the field, and noticed a familiar-looking boy with jet black hair, his red dry-fit shirt a starking contrast to the now dark sky. That was enough to get the girl running again...  
  
Running away.  
  
Little did she know that the boy had seen her - her tendrils rebelling against the wind and obscuring most of her peach face, and her slender legs carrying her off into the distance in a renewed spurt of energy. He bowed down his head and went back to the soccer match before him, observing all the players running around and kicking the ball as he poised for his defensive stance. It was good that he came to his senses at that moment as the ball soared towards the dead center of the goal. He immediately raised his arms and grabbed it, and gave it a good kick to the other end. The activity in his part of the field died down soon after, as the players flocked to the other goal, leaving him quality time with his muddled thoughts again. It was hopeless, however, as he stared at the track again, particularly at the same woman he saw stopping at the finish line just minutes ago.  
  
'Hitomi... I wish I knew what to tell you.'  
  
Just then, a whistle blew. The coach of Kamakura Kita's soccer team called them all to the center of the field.  
  
"I have high hopes for the team this year. It seems we'll be having a lot of fresh, talented additions. I'll be posting the names of the people who made the cut by next week. You guys can hit the shower now. The tryouts are over."  
  
Van Fanel took a last glance at the track and saw that the members of the track team were still running. He figured Coach Miguel was still running them ragged, like Hitomi said, and silently prayed Coach Miguel was having one of his good days, for their sake.  
  
In the meantime, he would have a lot of time thinking to himself back home. His guardian, Balgus, had told him that morning that he wasn't going to be home till midnight.  
  
"God freaking dammit!"  
  
The cool, silent night air was pierced by a female voice muttering a long string of curses over and over again, the volume growing by every word. She had encountered one of the longest days of her life, and was ready to swim in her soft cottony comforter at home, only to find her dream squashed when she went inside her Jetta, and turned her ignition on in vain.  
  
And looked around to find all her teammates had gone home.  
  
Her reverie was put to an abrupt halt when she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Hitomi trilled and looked behind her and was shocked to see who it was.  
  
"Hey Hitomi. You uh... need some help there?"

* * *

A/N: There. I finally updated! Any guesses who tapped her shoulder? ;) You'll find out soon. I'm gonna try to get the next chapter up in a week. =) This chapter didn't have much "action" to it I know, but I had to make this a "transitory" chapter. :)  
  
I want to apologize for the delay. I really wanted to update sooner but every time I tried to write, I couldn't get myself to type more than one paragraph. I will try to make it up to you guys though because I now have free time on my hands that I will definitely use to post another "Unexpected" chapter soon! And to all those who read my other fics, I will be updating them soon too, especially "Into the Abyss" and "It Was You". And then there's my new Escaflowne fic. ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you guys review! Take care! =)  
  
Thanks to all those who inspired me to write again! =) edc, ayanamiyuy, and of course, my reviewers!  
=================================================================================================== 


	8. Revelations and Explanations

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
ACT 8: Revelations and Explanations

* * *

A/N: I started this chapter as soon as I finished chapter 7. ) Hope this earlier update makes up for the delay of chapter 7. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin.  
  
Plug: Please read my other Esca fic, "Into the Abyss", if you have the time. It's an angst "what-if" fic. For Roswell fans: I suggest you read "It Was You", a Liz/Zan fic :)  
  
Please review! Comments are VERY welcome! Sakura onto Hitomi: thanks! glad you like it! yah i know it's been a really LONG time since i've updated. i hope to update sooner now that im kinda out of the rut )  
  
Kya77: Just read on and see if your assumption is correct ;) Anyway, thanks for the review! I'm glad you like it! And to have all your questions answered you'll just have to wait for my updates grins mischievously )  
  
SabineballZ: Haha yah i know. ;) Thanks for the review! Glad you liked it and I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Rhapsody's Song: Yup i'll get to the good stuff real soon. ) Thanks for the review! Glad you liked it and hope you enjoy this chappy!  
  
Darkangl28: Glad you liked it! Thanks for the review! )  
  
Tramie: Thanks for the review! You did? blushes Thanks! Sorry to leave you hanging like that hehe. Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
fireangel621: oh no! she's got a new flamethrower!!! i know it's been such a wait! don't worry i won't leave this story. i love it too much ) thanks for the review and i hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
f-zelda: hope you enjoy chapter 8! )  
  
Esca-lover: thanks for the review! You'll have your questions answered soon enough ;) Ooh and you noticed the schezar thing? i'll talk about that in the later chapters. anyway, enjoy chap 8!  
  
Saotoshi: Hurricane? Seriously? Writer's block sucks, huh? Well, I'm sure you guys will get out of the predicament soon enough. :) Haha making it Dalet would have been great but it's a wrong guess ;) you'll see later who it really is.  
  
Annie: hope this was soon enough!  
  
azncopycat: thanks! glad you like it! well, van's not really mean, he just has a trouble dealing with his emotions, kinda like how he is in the series right? :) and don't worry i'll straighten up the mess soon enough :D haha i promise!  
  
Kute Anime Kitty: ooh! candy! me want more!!! hee hee. anyway, sorry for the cliffie and all. i'm glad you like it! blushes hope you like this chapter and check out if your guess is right! )

* * *

Hitomi's voice caught in her throat. A million possibilities danced in her head as to who owned the fingers that interrupted her, but none of them matched the person in front of her.  
  
The person looked at Hitomi uneasily. Maybe it was a bad idea to approach her. She looked like she had the capability to kill anyone at the moment. What more when she had good reasons to kill the person?  
  
"Hitomi I..."  
  
"What are you doing here, Yukari?"  
  
Finally, the chestnut-haired girl muttered the person's name with an exasperated voice, and interrupted the nervous words that gurgled out of the other's mouth.  
  
It was a rude thing to say when your underlying meaning was 'Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you'. The redhead immediately uncovered the hidden message inside Hitomi's six simple words and gave a frown, while she bit her pink glossy lower lip.  
  
"Look, I just noticed you were having some car trouble and wanted to help, alright? If you don't want me to, then I'll go." Yukari said, raising up both of her arms in frustration as she headed in the opposite direction to where her blue pick-up was parked.  
  
Hitomi might have had every right to be rude to her, but it was still unfair of her to dismiss her like that. She was, after all, just trying to help. As Yukari walked away, the little pesky voice inside Hitomi's head mentally strangled her. Releasing an intense sigh, she called the redhead back.  
  
"I'm sorry, okay? I'm just having a really, REALLY bad day."  
  
'I just apologized to a hell spawn. This is just great.'  
  
Yukari turned around and gave a tiny smile, a glint in her amber irises.  
  
"So, you need help or what?"  
  
Hitomi nodded. Asking help from her enemy was extremely pathetic, but between pride and a good night's rest, Hitomi chose the latter. Yukari hooked up Hitomi's Jetta to the back of her pick-up before climbing onto the driver's seat. As soon as Hitomi buckled her seatbelt, the driver turned on the ignition, and the loud whirr of the pickup pervaded the once silent area.  
  
"You still live in Narra Street?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
When the whirr subsided, and the Kamakura Kita building was a mere speckle in their vision, Hitomi finally rested her back on the seat and felt something comfortable cradling her neck. She turned her head around and saw it was a neck rest in the shape of a bone. She got back to her relaxed position and continued looking around. It was then that she saw something shiny near the keyhole.  
  
It was Yukari's keychain - a gold plate that was carved to form a scripted 'Yukari'.  
  
Hitomi couldn't help but smile.  
  
It was the keychain she had given her back in Grade 6 for her birthday. There was rust in some of its corners, but other than that, the keychain still looked shiny and new, as if it would look that way forever.  
  
Unfortunately, unlike the gift, their friendship didn't stay "shiny and new". It had gone into the dumps... forgotten. A sentiment gnawed her stomach. It was a hollow feeling, a feeling that you get when you go on a trip and leave behind the familiarity of your home.  
  
Hitomi breathed deeply. It was no use thinking about the past - what could have been and what should not have been. The past will remain the past no matter how hard you wish it to change. The best thing to do, then, was to forget about it... to allow the present to distract you from it. And distraction was what she needed at that very moment.  
  
She immediately saw her savior - the radio. Music was always a good distraction. She was about to turn on the power only to hear Yukari's sad news.  
  
"Sorry. The radio's broken. Haven't gotten it fixed yet."  
  
Hitomi bit her lip to prevent herself from groaning.  
  
Now what was she going to do to pass the time? The truck had stopped and Yukari was tapping her fingers on the wheel. The rhythmic tapping was driving Hitomi crazy.  
  
Seconds passed.  
  
Until the green-eyed girl couldn't take it anymore - "So, why were you in school so late anyway?"  
  
This time, it was a question out of curiosity. Hitomi looked out the road as she asked her query, desiring no eye contact with the redhead. Yukari, also looking out the road, replied.  
  
"We had emergency cheerleading practice inside the gym. There's a huge basketball game coming up and we still haven't perfected our moves."  
  
Cheerleading. Bah. What a dumb sport.  
  
"You had track practice right?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Is it still Coach Villamano?"  
  
"Nope, he was replaced by Coach Labariel two years ago."  
  
"I see... Well, how's your little brat, Mamoru?"  
  
"He's still the same brat, only taller... How's your poodle, Popsicle?"  
  
"He died last year."  
  
"Oh, sorry to hear about that."  
  
A shrug.  
  
The ride's silence was smothered carelessly by small talk. Hitomi and Yukari kept their questions and replies short. It wasn't exactly a conversation, but it was a start. At least they weren't just giving each other immature pouts and glares. Finally, after several questions and answers, they came to a repair shop where they left Hitomi's jetta. Fifteen minutes after, Hitomi's abode was in front of them and Yukari parked at the driveway of Hitomi's house with ease.  
  
It was then when Hitomi faced the redhead for the first time, and muttered a 'thanks'.  
  
For which Yukari responded with an uneasy "Hitomi?"  
  
Hitomi turned around and gave her a curious look - "Yeah?"  
  
"Say hi to your parents and brother for me."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Hitomi's right sneaker was about to touch the ground when Yukari piped in another "Hitomi?" with her usual high-pitched voice.  
  
"Hmm...?"  
  
"I'm glad... we got to talk again. You should have had car trouble sooner."  
  
Hitomi laughed... not with as much passion as she usually did, but it was a laugh none the less.  
  
"We should go get some strawberry cake at Yugetsudo some time. My treat", Yukari winked.  
  
Hitomi gave a tiny smile, "God, don't you ever get tired of that dessert?"  
  
"Never."  
  
Again Hitomi was going to step off the truck when the other person called her again.  
  
This time she only looked at the redhead, both of her eyebrows raised in curiosity.  
  
Yukari bit her lip. "I... I'm really... sorry. For everything. I don't know what happened. I wanted to call you and explain but I don't know. I'd call one afternoon but no one would be there to pick it up, and I'd remember you had track practice. And then at night, I'd forget or Millerna would destroy my ear drums with her incessant gossips and list of guys who are 'totally in love with her'" - emphasizing the last phrase by gesturing her hands to form quotation marks - "and then I'd forget to call back. And when you didn't have track practice, I'd have cheerleading practice and I'd be so tired when I get home and..."  
  
"Yukari - "  
  
Hitomi interjected Yukari's lengthy speech. Yukari never did find it easy to apologize to people. Whenever they'd have a tiff back in grade school, she'd always turn her sorry into a lengthy speech, veering to different topics until she could no longer go back to the main point.  
  
Yukari looked at her and stopped her train of thought.  
  
"It's okay."  
  
Hitomi was shocked herself when those words flew out of her mouth, but the shock was momentary as she realized it was what she truly wanted to say. Suddenly, she felt quite immature for allowing their senseless fight to last this long. In truth, Yukari had been a victim of the whole popularity scenario, and although it was no valid reason to turn her back on her best friend, it was an understandable one.  
  
Yukari smiled. She had expected her to blow up or to at least give an explanation as to why she couldn't forgive her yet, but she had, instead, accepted her apology with sincerity. Hitomi had always been the level-headed one.  
  
Yukari's amber eyes once again lit up. "Will treating you to a month of dessert make you forget about everything?"  
  
"No, Yukari, that tactic only works for you."  
  
Yukari giggled, recalling the free desserts she had acquired from Hitomi in the past, when they had gotten into a fight and it was Hitomi's fault. "Oh yeah. Right. So, I'll talk to you soon okay?"  
  
Hitomi nodded and grinned. "I should go now. My bed's calling me."  
  
Yukari nodded as well. "I should go home too. My favorite soap opera is gonna be on in a few minutes."  
  
And with that, Hitomi ran inside her house where she saw her mother sitting on one of the chairs in the dining room, looking over bills. She gazed at her daughter under her reading glasses - "How was your day, dear?"  
  
"It was terrible. Coach made us run thirty laps again, and my car broke down!!!"  
  
"Really? How did you get home? Did you leave the car in school?"  
  
"No. Actually Yukari was there and she brought me home with her pick-up. We hooked up the Jetta on the back of her truck and left it in Chad's repair shop."  
  
"Okay, I see. Yukari? Haven't seen her in a while. How is she?"  
  
Hitomi shrugged.  
  
"She's good. She's still the same old Yukari."  
  
"I see. Well, honey, I think you better get your rest. You must be tired."  
  
"You can say that again. Night mom!"  
  
After planting a quick peck on her mother's cheek, Hitomi ran upstairs to her bedroom, washed up, and slept.  
  
Tomorrow, she had a particular raven-haired boy to talk to.

* * *

Van Fanel's plans of sorting out his confused head was foiled by the traffic jam he was in. He had been stuck in the jam for an hour now and was quite tempted to leave his Audi in the highway and run to his house instead.  
  
Feeling extremely restless, he decided to turn on the radio, hoping it would drown out all the honks he heard outside.  
  
A familiar male voice started to sing out loud... A male voice he had heard just a few days ago.  
  
Stellar.  
  
And it was Hitomi's favorite song too.  
  
She had said it during the concert and he had vividly recalled her emerald eyes gleaming with excitement as the heavy guitar filtered through the rapid beating of the drums. And she had banged her head to the rhythm, causing her chestnut mane to sway along with her.  
  
Now this wasn't helping.  
  
He immediately switched the station and breathed in relief when it wasn't Stellar anymore.  
  
A husky male voice emitted from the radio, and blended in with a sad melody that Van unconsciously sang to while he used the steering wheel as a mock drum set.

  
  
"Somewhere there's speaking, it's already coming in  
Oh and it's rising in the back of your mind  
You never could get it unless you were fed it  
Now you're here, and you don't know why  
  
But under skinned knees and the skid marks  
Past the places where you used to learn  
You howl and listen, listen and wait for  
The echoes of angels who won't return  
  
He's everything you want, he's everything you need  
He's everything inside of you that you wish you could be  
He says all the right things at exactly the right time  
But he means nothing to you, and you don't know why"

Suddenly.  
  
Just two cars in front of him was a glaring reminder of Hitomi - a Jetta.  
  
Van craned his neck to see if it was her. It was the same chestnut hair, the same length, and it swayed with the wind the same mesmerizing way. A turn of the head, however, disproved his assumption. It wasn't her. She didn't have the same face structure... Didn't have that peach complexion... Didn't have that... something.  
  
Van faced the road ahead to clear his thoughts but it ended as a feeble attempt. All that he could think of now was her. Her laugh... her animated, piercing green eyes...  
  
Her.  
  
The raven-haired boy rubbed his temples, as if it would drive out all perplexity out of his brain. He mused that the traffic jam did serve a purpose after all. He was right, however, when he said that it had ruined his hope of elucidating his thoughts because it had managed to complicate things instead. Now that he knew he felt something for Hitomi, the million dollar question was... Hitomi or Yukari?  
  
He had to find out which feelings were real and which were not soon, before he became more of a jackass than he already was.  
  
Before he could even wrap up his self-imposed psycho-analysis, the cars had started moving and the impatient ones behind him were honking for him to get a move on. Van released the hand brake and cursed under his breath. It was something Van would have appreciated more had it occured just a few minutes before, when he wasn't having a one-on-one with his head yet.  
  
In a matter of minutes, he had finally arrived at his house - a large white two-storey structure, with a patio. Opening the door and the lights revealed a spacious living room with white leather couches standing on the rug-laden center, just a few inches away from a large plasma television set. Without even looking, he tossed his keys at an end table situated to his left and ran upstairs to his room for a good night's rest. Balgus wouldn't be home till early morning, and he was too tired to wait up for him.  
  
He knew he had some unfinished business to attend to, but sleep had other plans for him. Before hitting the sack, he silently made an ultimatum for himself - in 24 hours, he would have to know what he really felt about his chestnut-haired and red-haired friend.  
  
That night, while two female teenagers slept their most peaceful yet, a male teenager tossed and turned, thoughts pounding at his head even in his semi sub-conscious state.

* * *

The next day saw ominous dark clouds bunched up together in the sky. Humidity embraced the air (more like strangled it) so much that a person who had decided not to turn on the air-conditioner would feel the stickiness of one's skin.  
  
And so it was for Hitomi. She woke up to the sound of her alarm, and groggily stretched herself, allowing a few joints to crack. She had planned to doze off for a few more minutes, when her senses had come to and she had felt the suffocating heat of the atmosphere. Discarding the woolen blanket over her body immediately, she muttered a groan and got a cold shower, immensely enjoying its rejuvenating powers.  
  
It was only after showering and getting dressed up did she take a look at her bedside window. It didn't take a weather forecast to tell her what the latter part of the day would bring. She let her body fall limp and groaned again. She had remembered that she had her Jetta in the car shop. It was not what had caused her dismay however, because Jetta or not, she would get soaked anyway, because the Jetta's top was permanently down. It was just the mere fact that it was going to rain that got to her. She always did dislike the rain, because it made the world so dark and gloomy. Plus the fact that it made it impossible to see the stars at night, stars which Hitomi gazed at longingly every night, longer when it had been a long and tiresome day. It was just her luck since given the 'itinerary' of the day, she was bound to need a long stargazing session that night.  
  
She heaved a sigh. Knowing that dwelling further in her rainy blues was undoubtedly going to make her moody that day, she roughly drew her white gauze curtains together and jogged downstairs where a warm plate of pancakes and mug of coffee were dying for her attention. The emerald-eyed girl grabbed a fork and dug in.  
  
Attention they were definitely going to get.  
  
After literally gulping her grub and hot drink, she grabbed her windbreaker from the coat rack and ran off to the bus stop.  
  
She thanked the gods for allowing her to step inside the bus before the clouds let go. The whole ride was filled with the sound of numerous drops pounding against the roof, the pounding growing in magnitude every now and then.  
  
As soon as the bus screeched to a halt, the sidewalks were drenched, with muddy prints all over it. 'Perfect timing for me to wear open-toe sandals', she grimaced as she huddled up in her windbreaker and stepped down, dreading how messy it would get.  
  
'God, I hate the rain.'  
  
The lunch bell gave Hitomi both a sense of dread and comfort, and her stomach churned as the two fought for supremacy. She had managed to survive her morning classes unscathed, despite a certain someone who sat beside or behind her most of the time. She had felt his burning stare at Biology, and had sensed his occassional glances while the teacher delved into the world of equations and triangles. Aside from that though, he had made no effort to talk to her. Just like she wanted.  
  
Or not.  
  
In truth, she felt hurt that he had not tried to patch things up with her... that he remained apathetic to the situation. Did he feel no guilt for what he did? Or did he feel it, but found no words to explain to her? Merle had told her that he wasn't good with expressing himself. Maybe that was why...?  
  
It didn't matter though. Whatever he felt, she would make the first move to sort this out. She, at least, knew what to say.  
  
When she arrived at their usual lunch table with a bowl of noodle soup, Van was already there with his plate of untouched potato salad. Merle and Dilandau were nowhere to be found - an opportunity for Hitomi to have a chat with Merle's cousin alone. The raven-haired boy stole a glance at the girl in front of her, but immediately pulled away. He grabbed his fork and started to chomp on his lunch, an uneasy feeling fooling with his heart.  
  
He had to say something. Gulping down a huge mayonnaise-coated potato and drinking his cola, he cleared his throat and looked again at the track runner.  
  
He had to say something.  
  
"Hitomi..."  
  
Hitomi, shocked to hear her lunchmate squeak out a word, looked immediately at him, emerald piercing ruby red.  
  
Van continued - "Hitomi, about that night. I..."  
  
But the girl had interrupted him before he could confess his conflicting feelings to her.  
  
Which was a relief to him, in one way, but a huge disappointment for him the other.  
  
Especially after he heard what she had to say.  
  
"Van, I know that night was a huge misunderstanding. We were probably high from the concert and I don't know what happened. Whatever it is, it doesn't even matter anymore. What I really want to say is that... you're right. Yukari is still the Yukari I knew years ago, and I think it's great that you two are hooking up... And I think you better ask her to the dance. Maybe we can double date or something..."  
  
"Wah... Double Date...?"  
  
"Yeah. Amano kinda asked me out."  
  
"And you said yes?"  
  
Hitomi nodded.  
  
Van's hearing suddenly went dull. He could only look into Hitomi's deep green orbs, and comprehend certain key words. She was speaking like she had rehearsed what she had to say the other day, which meant that she knew fully well what she was implying. At the end of her friend's piece, he was at a loss for words. He didn't know which part struck him the most. The part when she said that she accepted the idea of him dating Yukari, or the fact that Amano had asked her to the dance and she had said yes.  
  
The track runner looked at Merle's cousin in concern, seeing that he had spoken nothing after what she had said. He had probably become overwhelmed by the suddent rush of words that sprang out of her mouth.  
  
"Van? You okay?"  
  
The person being addressed to could only nod. What his nod really meant, he would never know.  
  
That night, as the rain poured hard against his large windows, he could only stare off into the blurry scenario before him.  
  
His 24-hour deadline had passed and he had still made no sense of his situation. Hitomi, however, had, and respecting her decision would be the best thing he could do for her, to make up for being such a jerk to her.  
  
He just hoped that he could live with her decision.  
  
Miles away, a certain chestnut-haired girl also hoped for the same thing, while she stared at the starless sky.

* * *

A/N: And the plot thickens! Hitomi has told him that she was cool with him going out with Yukari, but who does Van really like? What happens to Van and Yukari and Van and Hitomi now? What events will transpire during the dance? What of Merle? These questions and more will be answered soon enough. hehe :) in the meantime, i'd appreciate a review! hope u enjoyed this chapter!  
  
By the way, the lyrics I placed are an excerpt of "Everything You Want" by Vertical Horizon. Good song. ) Visit their official site at verticalhorizon . com

* * *


	9. Skeletons in the Closet

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
ACT 9: Skeletons in the Closet

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A/N: Sorry for the delay! Gosh, 2 years is such a delay! hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I really want to finish this fic so im gonna try my best :D

Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, much to my chagrin.

Plug: Please read my other Esca fic, "Into the Abyss", if you have the time. It's an angst "what-if" fic. For Roswell fans: I suggest you read "It Was You", a Liz/Zan fic :)

Please review! Comments are welcome!

Inferna: hehe yep that's the van we know and love!

aoi-hitomi: sorry for the late update! hope u don't biggerstaff me lol and i hope you enjoy this new chapter!

kintora: blushes glad you like this fic! amano and yukari? now that you'll find out later on ;) sorry about the confusion with merle and folken but the confusion will be cleared later on. I'm not sure yet if i'll be pairing millerna up with someone. thanks for the review and i'm really glad u like this fic:D

azncopycat: hehe well amano's not a bad guy :p in any case, hitomi was kinda irrational but that's how hitomi really is even in the series, right? very emotional hehe.

Tramie: haha glad i surprised u there!

Rhapsody's Song: you'll have to read on to find out! ;)

Esca-lover: haha well you know how grade school fights go. they usually sound petty once you grow old but while you were in grade school, it seems so grave. :P glad u liked the previous chapter and hope you like this one too!

Sakura onto Hitomi: thanks! Glad you find it interesting :)

Dragoness: thanks! hope you enjoy this chappy too!

Annie: thank you:) glad you like it!

SabineballZ: hehe they're really frustrating you, ne? dont worry things will work out soon... but i figure misunderstandings occur all the time where van and hitomi are concerned. lol

Kute Anime Kitty: thanks! i kinda liked it too :) glad you like the chapter! mmm... candy! i want more!

erika: thanks for the input and for reminding me to update this fic:)

tigger093061: Here ya go, thanks so much for the review:)

zero-serenity: thanks for adding me in your favorites! hehe sorry but van and hitomi would have to endure a little more ;)

majka: thanks:D

Encuentrame: sorry this was like a year or more late. hope you'll still read it :)

Saotoshi: hehe agree with you, Van is quite the idiot! hope you enjoy this chappy!

dark-elmo: so sorry for the late reply!

Holly: glad to hear that :)

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Hitomi wiped her forehead with the back of her hand - her eyes in a calm repose that reflected her entire being, save the ragged breathing that caused her chest to heave up and down more dramatically than usual. Making one final stretch of her legs, she looked up at the greyish blue sky and noticed with a child-like curiosity the specks of yellow fighting its way up and the flocks of virgin white pigeons flying around like moving clouds. With brows furrowed, the girl rushed to her duffle bag, emerald-eyes rummaging through her crisp white shirt and faded blue jeans to find what she was looking for. Grabbing the object from the bag and placing it on her wrist, she mentally read the digits that flashed on its screen.

6:00 am.

Had she been running that long?

She had briefly recalled how the clock back in her home had looked like when she had set foot outside. It had only been 4:30 and the slate gray sky was further proof to that.

Hitomi walked back to her Jetta, dazed, her duffel bag lazily slung over her shoulder. Perhaps Coach Miguel's laborious training had finally taken a toll on her brain, programming her to wake up early and run around like a gerbil on a wheel. It was as if she had been on a trance the whole morning... As if invisible strings on her body were being pulled by someone.

Or something.

She remembered now the bitter feeling that she had woken up to, and it was what motivated her to get a therapeutic jog. Somehow, it had helped, not so much as to accept whatever went on just the previous day, but rather to forget for a short amount of time all the hurt and confusion that had coursed through her since the day she laid eyes on a particular auburn-eyed guy. She started the engine and headed back home for a warm shower.

By the time she got home, dawn had broken, announcing a sunny Saturday morning - very much the opposite of last night's dreary conditions. Silently, she prayed that this would be an omen of good blessings to come.

Silently, she wondered how that will ever be possible.

After stepping out of the shower and getting dressed in clean loose-fitting clothes, the shrill ring of the phone echoed throughout her room. Picking it up, she gave a heartless hello, and realized immediately that it was Merle, with her sharp, high-pitched voice.

"HITOMI!!!"

"Yes Merle?"

"Are you alright? You sound like your dog died or somethin, that is if you still HAD a dog."

"No I'm good. Just tired I guess."

Merle raised her eyebrows. She knew Hitomi well enough to know she was down and she knew just the thing to cheer her up.

"HEY! I know just what to cheer you up!!!"

"Merle, I'm OKAY, remember? But since that's not gonna stop you, what's your plan to cheer me up from my supposed depression?"

"Uh..."

In reality, Merle didn't know just the thing to cheer her up. Hitomi was quite the complicated female who wasn't so easily beguiled by things like Ben and Jerry's and drama movies. She knew, though, that there was one thing that Hitomi was very passionate about - tarot card reading. And as much as she hated the damn cards, she had to make a sacrifice for Hitomi's sake.

"Something you've been wanting to do for a long time now - do a reading for me!"

Immediately, emerald eyes brightened up.

"Are you serious?? I thought you were terrified with tarot cards?"

"I'll make this one an exception."

Hitomi grinned. "Great! I'm on my way to your place!"

With a shudder on Merle's end and a giddy clap on Hitomi's, the phone clicked as Hitomi ran to her closet to get some decent clothes on, carefully placed her tarot cards wrapped in a velvet cloth inside her handbag, and left the house.

-  
-  
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"Are you sure you're up for this?"

"Well?"

"Merle..."

"OKAY, OKAY FINE! Let's do this then!"

"May I remind you that this was YOUR idea, not mine. I don't even know why you suggested this in the first place."

"I know! I know! Just... JUST let me think this whole thing through for the millionth time."

Hitomi raised an eyebrow.

"WHAT??!? Do you realize what you're making me do here?"

"Merle, you're obviously making a big deal out of this. I'm just going to flip a few cards on your behalf and that's it! You sound like I'm gonna pin you to the wall and offer you as a sacrifice or something!"

"WHAT?!? SACRIFICE???"

"Merle..."

The pink-haired girl took in a deep breath.

"Ready?"

A nod.

"Well then, here goes."

-  
-  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The room was drowning in silence.

Despite the loud noises coming from the idiot box just inches away, the chestnut-haired girl could only stare lifelessly away and focus on the dull whir in her mind as she tried to digest what had just happened. What started out as an innocent reading turned out to be a horrendous yet not entirely surprising revelation.

Perhaps what bothered her the most though was lying to the person she had just made a reading to and merely waving off her momentary lapse and shocked expression as fatigue.

Lying, however, was the only thing Hitomi could do.

After all, how can she just blurt out to Merle that she knew she was terribly missing Folken?

And so, the remaining time Hitomi spent in Merle's house was filled with guilt, remorse, and anxiety... It was hard putting up a front - smiling to the Filipina while she popped in her favorite movie (Legally Blonde) in the DVD player, and laughing with her at the humorous parts. She was, however, going to stick to her feigned ignorance... It seemed like a complicated task but in the long run... It was easier that way.

Luckily, her friend was too immersed in the scenes unfolding that she had not noticed how the other had been biting her lip most of the time or looking nervously at the peach ceiling and the delicate glass chandelier that lazily hung at the center. Once the wedding ceremnoy ended, and the credits rolled, the ominous sound of the television screen being turned off echoed through Hitomi's ears, while Merle happily sighed and plopped down the bowl of popcorn on the glass coffee table.

"So what should we do now?", Merle asked, still suffering from a hang-over of cheesiness, as she gave this far-off smile.

Hitomi did what she knew best to do in situations that might lend itself to danger - "Uh, I think I better get going. I need to help my Mom with some... stuff at home!" - escape.

Merle looked at her quizzically. "What stuff?"

"Uh... the usual..."

"Uh-huh... You sure are acting weird today... WeirdER i mean."

Hitomi pouted. "Whatever, Merle. I'm not the one who's watched Legally Blonde for 10 times already... Or is that 15? Who's counting anyway..."

Merle put out her tongue.

"Fine then, Ms. Kanzaki. You better go do your 'stuff' at home. Next time I get these crazy ideas to cheer you up, remind me not to push through with them okay?! It seems like they aren't appreciated anyway."

"Oh come on, Merle! I did appreciate it. I really do. I just really... need to go home now."

Merle smiled slyly, "Looks like someone still falls for my dramatic acts."

Hitomi playfully slapped her arm.

"Seriously though, Merle - thanks. You don't know how much this meant to me."

This time, Merle's smile was sincere as Hitomi gave her a quick hug. "The world can use more friends like you."

"No problemo, Tomi. I'm sure you would have done the same."

Hitomi nodded, and with a last wave, left her house.

The chestnut-haired girl heaved a sigh. 'Nice people like Merle don't deserve to be so heart-broken.' And she was going to make sure the quote holds true. Now she needed a plan to make that possible.

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The lunch hour was, again, a rather uncomfortable time of the day. This time around, Merle and Dilandau were there to witness the display of uncertainties and awkwardness in the simple acts of Van forking his soup, which was of course not very normal, and Hitomi sprinkling her sandwich with pepper every so often. Merle and Dilandau looked at each other quizzically, until finally Dilandau attempted a lame conversation opening.

"So hey, last lunch time Merle and I weren't here because our chemistry lab teacher got mad at us... again." Merle rided with the conversation even though it wasn't such an exciting ride. "Well, it wasn't quite a shock. You know how Dilandau is with all the burners." She laughed, and Dilandau followed suite. The other two weren't even remotely amused.

They gave up. If they wanted an uncomfortable lunch, they were gonna get it.

And so the rest of the lunch hour was dead silent.

Once the trays were piled up haphazardly on the table and the students left the cafeteria just as haphazardly, Hitomi pulled Dilandau to the side in a hush hush manner. Merle and Van had already dashed for their algebra exam.

"Hey Dilandau, don't go first. I need to tell you something... important".

Dilandau raised his eyebrow.  
"Look who finally has a voice."

She rolled her eyes.  
"Whatever. Now listen, you need to help me. You see..."

"Will this involve lighting a fire somewhere cause then I'm game!", Dilandau again interrupted, with a sinister, otherwordly cackle that might have caused goosebumps to most.

Hitomi's reaction, however, was annoyance.  
"Stop interrupting me. This. Is. Important."

Dilandau shut up immediately and made a salute, which Hitomi chose to ignore.  
"Look, we need to find Folken."

"Folken, as in Merle's...?"

"Yes, Merle's..." she bobbed her head from side to side thinking of an appropriate noun to relate Merle to Folken but couldn't. There were just some things that had been buried deep in the past that proved difficult to rehash. Perhaps the Merle and Folken situation was at the top of the list.

"I thought Merle didn't want to have anything to do with Folken anymore?", Dilandau asked, quizzically, as though he was trying to solve an algebraic equation that just did not... equate.

"I thought so too..."

----------------------------------------

Now, breaking and entering is certainly not a very nice thing to do. But when breaking and entering is done without really "breaking" anything (Merle HAD volunteered the information on where she kept the keys to her house long ago) and when it was for a good cause, perhaps it wasn't that very evil...

At least that was what Hitomi reminded herself over and over again, while Dilandau giddily opened Merle's door and stealthily went inside. Worst case scenarios kept swirling in her head. 1) A busybody neighbor could suddenly pop out of nowhere wondering what the hell they were doing, 2) Merle's parents could have gone home early from a meeting to break their usual "late night at the office" routine, or 3) Merle could have decided to skip her favorite yoga classes because she wasn't feeling well.

Although all three scenarios were quite impossible (The neighborhood was especially quiet, Merle's parents were obssessed with work, and Merle obssessed with yoga), Hitomi could not help but feel her palms getting sweaty by the minute, like she had suddenly been part of a Mission Impossible-esque situation and she was going to face death penalty if she was ever caught.

Dilandau, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying every minute of it, humming the Mission Impossible theme song while he went inside the house and ran up the stairs, looking right and left every now and then for the added dramatic effect. Hitomi rolled her eyes but decided to let him have his fun. Telling him to keep quiet was futile.

One could be 100 sure when they had already reached Merle's bedroom. The hot pink walls were certainly a break from the austere peach and cream that dominated the other rooms.

Then, there was also the hot pink bed, the hot pink phone, the posters of several boy bands Hitomi and Dilandau were too afraid to mutter the names of, and all the pictures of Merle that were displayed on every empty corner.

Dilandau made an exaggerated shudder.

"This room always gives me the creeps, you know."

Hitomi grinned. "Hurry up and look for some evidence, before you puke here or something."

"Roger."

Looking for evidence was certainly difficult amidst the plethora of pictures, scrapbooks, letters, fashion magazines, and other knick knacks. Finally, thank God, Hitomi shouted victory, after looking through a worn shoe box in one of her closets, hidden underneath a pile of magazines dated a year ago. It contained around 20 letters from Folken, all at least a year old. His neat, precise handwriting was very distinct - straight and thin. Words of apologies were scattered through each letter, and hopes of receiving a letter in return. She skimmed through each of them. The latest among those 20 letters wrote that he was going to move again, but he did not say to where.

Frantically, Hitomi looked for more recent letters so she could get the return address she needed. All she got was a picture of Folken dated six months ago. No return address. At the back was a note:

"Merle.

I'm sorry.  
-Folken"

It was probably the very last note Merle got from him. He had given up... Merle had refused to reply.

Could anyone blame Merle though? The pain had been made - a sharp pain that could not be blunted by nice words, sincere apologies, and the hope that things could go back to way they were before. And yet...

That was the most painful part of it all. That Merle still did think of the what if... Of the small possibility that she could see him, that he would just get down on his knees and apologize and the hurt will disappear. That he would make her his world again and she would make him hers...

To think of all this while still denying any of these thoughts and feelings to anyone who asked... It was sheer torture.

Hitomi snapped back from her deep thoughts. She felt the hurt that Merle felt. The hurt of hopefulness and helplessness...

Gingerly placing the photo inside her binder, she and Dilandau left the room. Dilandau looked at Hitomi's determined look and back at the happy photos of Merle on her room, and inwardly cursed Folken for all the pain that he caused Merle all these years. If they ever do track him down, Folken was going to meet his fist first. 


	10. A Chance Partnership

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
ACT 10: A Chance Partnership -------------------------------------

They say a picture is worth a thousand words... Normally it may be true. Remorse, for instance, is better depicted by seeing a man on his knees, begging for forgiveness, as opposed to a letter written so legibly that the man must have thought long and hard to know exactly what to say and how to say it.

In this case, however, the picture was worth squat.

Folken's face wore a tight smile, with nondescript clothes and a nondescript background of a mall, with several people carrying saccharine-lined faces. Whether his tight smile said he was uncomfortable in front of a camera, or if he was truly not happy with the state he was in, and the wrong he had caused Merle in the past, one could never know. People are always full of different unreadable visages - some sincere, some just poster expressions. We live our whole lives trying to determine which is which, but die in vain.

Speaking of "in vain"...

Hitomi was exasperated. She had been staring at Folken's picture for so long that she was getting sick of his face - his distinct features, his square jaw, and the gentle demeanor that radiated about him. A few more minutes and she would be considered an obsessed stalker.

She finally conceded defeat and threw the picture on her nearby mahogany desk, beside her lime green cellular phone. Dilandau had gone home minutes ago, because he had conceded defeat as well and felt that him staring at Folken for so long was definitely freakier than Hitomi doing it - for obvious reasons.

Silently, Hitomi prayed she'd have Veronica Mars'() wits and quick thinking that moment, remembering the female star of the TV show she had watched last week that she immensely enjoyed. But since she was just little, old Hitomi, and she was always going to be little, old Hitomi, she would do what she always did when she had a dillemma: try as hard as she could like a stubborn fool.

Getting up from her bed, she abruptly took the picture in her hands with a crisp "woosh" sound, wrinkled her forehead and looked some more.

Dinner time came and went quickly that day.

Hitomi could hardly remember what she ate. Her mother could have fed her liver and rotten cabbage salad that night and she wouldn't have suspected. She was just hell bent on cracking the mystery.

Suddenly, the proverbial light bulb lit above her head. There was a small clue that she had overlooked!!! She got her magnifying glass and zoomed into the lower right corner of the picture.

Just as she thought.

She thinned her lips in a serious, determined demeanor, and punched in the numbers on the phone.

"Um... hello... May I please speak to Van?"

The next few seconds were frustrating. She could faintly hear the maid calling Mr. Fanel and hoped to God both that he wouldn't be there and he would. She couldn't decide which she was leaning towards but immediately remembered Merle and shook off the first wish.

In a few seconds, a familiar youthful voice spoke on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Van, it's me, Hitomi."

Van's next reply was coated with an unfamiliar tone of uncertainty and curiosity. The ebony-haired boy's heart started thumping against his ribcage quickly and strongly. Hitomi had called him? He didn't see that coming. He thought for certain that Hitomi was never going to speak to him again after that stunt he pulled at the concert and the talk they had in the cafeteria.

I'm sorry... What kind of a jackas would say that to her anyway?

He snapped out of his trance.

"Yeah, what's up?"

Way to go, Van. Short. Simple. Neutral, Van cheered himself on

"Sorry to bother you but I really need your help... For Merle, that is."

Van blinked.

"Oh."

Perhaps that was way too short and simple.

Hitomi rolled her eyes. Was she really talking to Van or to a robotic toy?

"Van, can you come over? Are you busy? I really need you to take a look at something."

"Uh yeah sure. I'll come right over."

"Okay... Thanks."

Hitomi hung up the phone and sighed. What the hell was that all about? She smoothed her hair and suddenly became conscious of the wreck she looked like.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

Before long, the doorbell buzzed and Hitomi ran towards the door.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Soooo..." Van said, prolonging the "O" a little too much.

"Yeah, come up to my room."

Van concealed a blush. In truth, he had never been to a girl's bedroom before. He used to study in an all male school and had no sister. Not to mention, his mother had passed away earlier than he had learned to walk.

When he went inside, though, he didn't see a room that was worlds apart from his. Aside from her pink fluffy bed, everything else was simple. He had expected posters of boy bands and male actors, quite like those female bedrooms he saw in chick flicks that aired on TV. He would never comment that out loud though, because for one thing, he shouldn't be watching those damn chick flicks in the first place.

What caught Van's eyes was a poster of a familiar Samurai - the one with the cross on his cheek. Himura Kenshin. Van would have never pegged Hitomi to like anime, much less an anime that involved more fighting than romance. But then again, Hitomi wasn't the stereotype of a girl. She loved rock, was tremendously athletic, and had more interesting topics to talk about other than shopping and boys.

She was certainly one of a kind.

Van blinked. There he was again in his trance. Hitomi looked at him quizzically. She was holding a photo in her hand and an unspoken question.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. What was it you wanted to show me?"

"Yeah... this..."

Hitomi handed him the photo.

"Who's this dude?"

"So you've never met him?"

"Nope."

"Look at the bottom right"

"What am I supposed to be looking at?"

Hitomi gave him the magnifying glass and told her in a manner-of-fact tone like Sherlock Holmes would to Watson, or Veronica Mars to Wallace(). "Look closely."

There at the lower right portion of the picture, in the background, farther away from Folken, was a boy in a red soccer jersey looking at the direction of the camera, but farther from it. He must have been waiting for someone.

"Hey, that looks familiar! That's someone in our soccer uniform back in my old school!"

Hitomi beamed, "So I'm right!"

"How did you know??"

"Your car had a photo of you in a soccer uniform when I opened the glove compartment."

"Woah, now that's the keen power of observation."

Hitomi laughed. "It wasn't easy to forget you know. Not all soccer uniforms have an intricate dragon design print on their jersey."

Van snorted. "Good point. Blame it all on the former Soccer team captain."

"And who that would be...?"

Van grinned.

"Me."

Hitomi giggled. What was it about him that captivated her so much? He was such a mystery and yet such a charmer. The cherry on the ice cream was that he didn't know that. He was just being himself, and not forcing some persona just to impress.

Giving up on Van was certainly not an easy feat.

-  
-  
-

The laugh died down and silence was once again referee of this little game Hitomi and Van had.

"So, what's our next step, Mr. Holmes?", Van queried.

Hitomi smiled. "Now you tell me where your former school is and try to track down this guy."

"And you want to hunt down this guy because...?"

"He was Merle's ex-boyfriend... But I don't think Merle's given up on him just yet."

Van nodded.

"Okay then, Mr. Holmes. I'll be your Watson for this case."

"Great!"

Van took out his hand in a mock formal way and Hitomi shook it.

"It's off to Shogoku High then."

-  
() For anyone who has no clue who Veronica Mars is, I feel bad for you ;). Veronica Mars is this very, very, VERY witty TV show that I recommmend you guys watch. It's got everything - suspense, romance, comedy, drama. And the characters are such good (and good-looking hehe) actors. Veronica Mars is on its third season and is playing in CWTV. Check out for more details. You can also watch the 3rd season online in that site butI do suggest you watch the 1st and 2nd season first :).

I'm really sorry to upload such a short chapter. I've been hellishly busy again. Hope you liked this short chapter none the less.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


	11. Plan B

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
ACT 11: Plan B

Thanks so much for all the reviews! You are the reason why I continue updating. zero-serenity (thank you thank you thank you for those kind words), rage-ember (hope i updated soon enough), rukz, Ryuu Kanzaki (sorry for the delay)

On to my story now )  
-------------------------------------

Shogoku High School was your average high school set in a small, quaint town. It was an average white structure with average glass windows and average-looking students in average-looking school uniforms - a white polo shirt and black slacks for the males and a white sailor-like blouse with a blue short necktie and a navy blue skirt for the females. Beside the school were several trees standing tall and proud, their green hue glistening under the bright red ball above.

There was something a little above average about the atmosphere, however. The air was crisp and fresher than the bustling city Hitomi was used to, and there was a cool breeze that grazed her skin, despite the fact that it was summertime. The quaintness of the town made it a perfect setting for a quiet, romantic picnic rendezvous and she mentally noted that she would come back here again, to visit that farm house and creek they had passed by on the way to the school.

The honey-haired girl marvelled at the beauty of the place verbally to her companion, who had drove them to Shogoku in his black Audi, a painful yet almost bittersweet reminder of that night at the Stellar concert. Van had merely shrugged when she made that comment in his trademark nonchalance. Van had learned the important art of detachment, knowing that Balgus had a habit of telling him to move to another area at any day, without warning.

A deep pang filled Van's heart at that moment. The art of detachment came with a large price. It made Van feel empty and incomplete... lost. Sure, he looked sure of himself, shrugging off comments like those, packing up his bags methodically, not looking back while Balgus drove them away from where they had stayed for a while. But these things would take a toll on him eventually.

And take a toll on him they were.

Van Fanel parked his Audi by the school's driveway with ease, the sound of leaves crunching under rubber crisp. He glanced at his watch. 2 hours before the last class. Perfect.

"So Holmes, what now?"

Hitomi bit her lip. "I was thinking we could wait for him to go out this door, but I just realized he might have extracurricular activities."

Van rubbed his chin in a contemplative way. "The school's pretty strict about strangers coming in... But I don't think they're strict about alumni"

Hitomi grinned. "Are you even considered an alumnus of Shogoku? How many years did you stay here anyway?"

Van shrugged. "1 school year."

"Ookay, good luck."

Van pushed the doors open and confidently strode to the administration office.

Minutes later, Van came out, looking furious.

"I take it it didn't work?"

"Those goddamn administration officers don't even want to double check their records to see if I studied there."

"I'd like to say I told you so but I'm afraid you might slit my throat with your dagger look."

"Shut up and tell me what plan B is."

"We just wait."

Silence, except for the occassional rustling of leaves. Hitomi sweeped the steps of the school with her hands and took a seat, breathing in the fresh breeze. Van followed suite, and took a seat beside Hitomi.

"So...", Van said, still lost in a proverbial desert.

Hitomi wasn't any better off.

Van searched frantically for the right words to say. He wanted so bad to say he missed her company, but did she have the right to? And did he even have the guts to say those words, when he was afraid and on a resolution to remain unattached to everything?

"It's awkward isn't it", Hitomi started.

Van jolted from his thought process.

"We haven't talked in ages and now I ask you to do this favor for me."

Van shrugged.

"It is awkward but..."

Maroon-brown eyes locked onto emerald orbs.

"I'm glad you called me."

Her dainty lips curled into a smile, and something glistened in her orbs, like a newborn star on a dark bleak sky.

The school bell rang, sounding so distant, while the two just looked at each other, words unneeded... She stood up, brushed the dirt off herself and waited for her old friend in anticipation.

Van was about to remind her what a stupid plan this was when Hitomi's eyes widened and she shouted a name he had only heard of a few hours ago.

"FOLKEN!"

The man in the picture abruptly turned his head to her.

"... Tomi?"

She smiled, all the anger she had felt for the man who had given her best friend a great deal of heartache ebbed away... at least just for this moment.

Later, she would give him the verbal beating he deserved.

-  
Short chapter, I know. But I find that this psychologically helps me update more,  
and motivates me, knowing that I am a chapter closer to my goal of finishing this baby.  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading :)

For the next chapter: Folken and Hitomi talk, Van meets Folken, Van and Yukari talk about the dance, Hitomi and Amano talk about the dance ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


	12. Mochi Balls

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
ACT 12: Mochi Balls

Thanks to everyone reading this fic, and a double thank you to everyone who reviewed. You made this chapter finish faster. :)

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The man with the wild black and blue-streaked hair marvelled at the sight before him. Right in front of him was Hitomi - a woman of his past. She was not the woman he had held hands with... Not the woman he had longed for all these years, the woman he owed the biggest apology to... but she was still quite an important woman in her past. She was the best friend of the most important girl in her life, and she was also just a dear friend - the one he talked to for things more interesting than just shopping, and the one who had seen him as a cool guy, instead of the psychotic geek loner everyone pegged him to be.

He had been 105 percent sure that he was never going to encounter his past anymore. Somehow he had made sure of that himself, deciding to transfer to a school miles away from his former school, somewhere in a quaint town, without all those crowded malls where he could bump into anyone familiar one day.

Seeing Hitomi made him regret making the decision.

Looking from the chestnut-haired girl to the man with the messy jet black hair, he noted curiously who this man was and smirked devillishly, assuming he was Hitomi's boyfriend. He might have been a boring loner to most, but to Hitomi and the gang, he could be his true, arguably charming self.

"Well, well Hitomi. I guess it's about time." He winked and Hitomi blushed furiously and shook her head. "Oh n..no, this is Van, a friend of mine, Merle's cousin."

Merle...

Just two syllables, a slight curl of the tongue for that soft "rle" sound, and everything changed. The mood suddenly grew dimmer, as if someone had just pinched the flame with his two bare fingers. Hitomi looked sullenly at Folken. He had not moved on... Just like Merle.

But it wasn't as simple as bumping both their heads together. No, almost nothing was ever as simple as that. Everything had a hidden story intricately sewn behind the obvious... A story of hurt that could not so easily be fixed... not even by time.

The wind blew furiously and the leaves rustled with it.

"She misses you too you know."

The sound of the leaves grew, and one could almost hear the wind moaning, as the dead silence gave it his voice.

"But does she forgive me...?"

Hitomi could only stare farther from Folken, into the sky bursting in red and purple. It was a sight to marvel at - the way passion and darkness collided into one peaceful landscape. Was it somehow a depiction of love? Of how joy and suffering are so intertwined with each other that only a combination of both could produce beauty?

"I think some things are better left between the two people involved, don't you think?"

Folken nodded contemplatively. Van watched the interaction like men watching a soap opera - they didn't want to admit they like it, but sometimes, scenes like this made them choke as well.

Folken grinned a little and clapped his hands together as if it were a magic incantation to ward off all the tension away, "Now, where are my manners? You drove all the way here, so at least I should treat you guys to the famous mochi balls of obachan(o) just a few blocks away from here."

Hitomi followed his mood, and looked at Van.

Van's face was unreadable, to say the least, and he made no sound as he walked slowly to his Audi. Hitomi and Folken followed him and the latter formed an "O" in his mouth, seeing the ride. "Nice wheels, dude." Van could only smile a bit, and while this kind of smile was normal with the nonchalant Van Hitomi knew him to be, something was awry.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The mochi ball store was as cozy as the word can get. It was an unassuming little stall, with a red drape on top to provide customers with shade. The drape itself was painted with little pink cherry blossoms and abstract swirls. The stall was of a deep red shade and a small menu card was nailed on its right. An old woman stood behind the stall, in a traditional white yukata, with just faint pink details, and a deep pink obi so neatly tied that must have taken a huge amount of patience to assemble.

Folken was first to approach the old woman and the woman smiled, seeing a familiar customer. "Folken san how are you today?" "I'm okay obachan(o), some old friends came to visit me, and I couldn't let them leave without tasting your specialty Sekihan(oo)". The old lady laughed appreciatively and looked at Folken's two companions. She smiled at the pretty chestnut-haired girl but her smile grew into one of familiarity when she saw her companion.

"Is that you, Captain Van??"

Van smiled widely, his eyes glowing with happy memories.

"I remember you quite clearly. You would come here after soccer practice, as the captain of the soccer team, huffing and tired, holding a Pocari Sweat can on your left hand, and you would order 2 mochi balls, and look so energized after taking one bite of my delicacies. And you'd always ask me how I was doing that day."

"Your mochi balls were the secret to my agility. I always forgot how tired I was after tasting them."

Obachan's eyes glimmered.

Hitomi slowly put two and two together and realized that Van's solemn mood awhile ago could have been the result of some memories of the past. He had been moving so often since he was a child, and Hitomi could only imagine how much it hurt to leave so many things behind. She kept silent, as Folken handed a few bills to obachan and ordered 2 mochi balls for each of them.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"So you were the captain of our soccer team before, eh? Impressive. How long did you stay here?" Folken inquired, while taking small bites of his mochi ball and savoring the gooey texture of the mochi and the sweetness of the azuki beans.

"A year."

Folken's eyes widened.

"Wow, you must be some soccer player if they made you captain immediately."

Van ate larger portions of the mochi and more quickly, as though he had been wanting to get his teeth sunk into them for years. It might not have been such an overstatement. He chose to just shrug at Folken's praise.

Hitomi's mochi ball, on the other hand, had small bite marks as she nibbled on it slowly, while thinking about Van's sad story. How hard was it to be the only child, having an uncle as an orphan, and moving from area to area...? She could only imagine.

Before she could even draw to any conclusion, however, Folken cleared his throat, a most effective way of getting somebody's attention. Hitomi suddenly realized what her mission was at that moment. It wasn't to psychologize about Van's past, nor to eat Azuki mochi balls. It was to ask Folken to the dance on behalf of Merle.

"I'm sorry. See I have this periodical test tomorrow so... I can't really stay too long", Folken spoke like the good student he was.

"Folken, you have to ask Merle to our dance next week."

Folken stood awestruck. Ask Merle to the dance? Ask the girl of his dreams to the dance... The girl he had crushed?  
"I don't think Merle would..."

"Look, enough of this bull crap! We came all the way here to tell you this, so you have to just stop being such a coward and go after her, if you really like her!", Hitomi said exasperatedly. She was not cut out to be a matchmaker.

Folken grinned a little. "You haven't changed, have you Hitomi? Still bad at this matchmaking business?"

The mood suddenly grew brighter again with that simple statement and somehow Hitomi knew her job here was done.

"Next Friday. 7 pm at our gym. Be there."

Folken nodded, a determined look on his face.

"Oh and Folken?"

"Yeah?"

Hitomi slapped him hard on the back and Folken yelped in both surprise and pain.

"That was for being the as$hole you were back then."

Folken bit his tongue to keep from screaming like a girl and managed a weak "Thanks, I needed that."

Hitomi winked. Van could only watch the two while eating an extra serving of Obachan's mochi balls, a pang of jealousy gnawing at his mind for not being a part of this friendly display.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The ride back home was silent. Whether the silence was a comfortable blanket or a knife dangerously close to each other throats, neither could judge. Hitomi had gone back to thinking about Van and how he must feel, and about the dance to come and how successful she will be at patching things up with Merle and Folken. Van could only think about how much he had missed from moving from area to area. Certainly there was nobody he could call a real friend that he would travel a lot of miles to visit.

Just then, a cellphone rang rudely, and Van groped for his cellphone using his right hand, while expertly maneuvering the steering wheel with his left. He finally grabbed his flip phone, unflipped it and answered it, without even reading who it was.

"Hey Van!"

Perhaps he should have read who it was first.

"Oh, hey Yukari"

At that, Hitomi's ears perked up and her previous thoughts were cut abruptly. What the hell was she doing in Van's car? Had she been unconsciously hoping that she would win him eventually?

"Yeah. I'm on my way back home, we had a free cut this whole day, and we visited Hitomi's old friend. I'll call you when I get there."

Hitomi let the rest of the conversation die down with the soft purr of the air conditioner, humming in her mind to distract her. Van was with Yukari, and it was high time she got used to that.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

(o) Grandma (oo) Sekihan is a mochi ball composed of azuki (red) beans, which give a reddish color to the rice. It's normally served on special occassions but I thought Folken should order something more special, to give him more reason to boast of the stall's delicacies.

I just realized this site (they even remove their url name when I type it!) removed asterisks, and percentage symbols from my story. Plus, I realized some tense problems, that Saotoshi kindly pointed out (Arigatou gozaimasu, saotoshi :)). I sorta fixed it now. Hope you like this chapter and thanks in advance for the review :) 


	13. Dances and Top 3's

(u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
ACT 13: Top 3's

Again, thanks to all those who read, favorited, and reviewed!!! Some review replies which I failed to do for the past few chapters.

Rhapsody's Song: Thanks for spotting that error! :) Wait a minute I just found 2 "quaint" words, did I miss any more? :)

Saotoshi: Yes, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Veronica Mars and I am ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED that it got canceled :( I hope the movie pushes through! Oh and thanks for spotting the past tense error, I fixed it up a tad. Hope this chapter is to your liking ;)

K. Higurashi: Glad you loved it :)

Rage-ember: Sorry I didn't update sooner. Omg you love veronica mars too? That's so great! I'll be making a VM fic soon :)

Etherelda: sorry the dance was 1 chapter late but I hope you do like this chapter :)

Entwined Heart: Yep I hope they get over the awkwardness too haha! But you know our Van and Hitomi ;)

zero-serenity: yep!!! folken and merle - yipee! :)

Super Goat Grl, rukz: Thank you!!! :)

edc: enjoy!!! ;)

Alright then, onto the story!

ooooooo ooo oooooooo ooooo oooooooo ooooooooo oooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Merle inspected herself in front of her full-length mirror and bit her glossy bottom lip. The reflection showed a beautiful lady with a pink dress that matched the pink highlights on her hair. The elegant gown had an "X" on the back, which had translucent sequins sewn on it - the same sequins that were sown on the edges of the front of her dress.

She breathed shallowly. The corsette was quite uncomfortable but she didn't mind - dressing up was one of her top 3 favorites, along with shopping and dances. Unfortunately, however, something from her past... or someone for that matter (a certain someone with messy dark blue hair)... had tainted the beauty of dances, and she was starting to consider moving "dances" to her 3 least favorites.

A few kilometers away, the girl with emerald eyes pulled on her white halter dress.

It was a very comfortable dress - one that followed the flow of her body. The details were sparce, except for the beads that formed a thin belt along her waist. She did not want to admit it, but dances were occassionally one of her top 3 favorites. The prospect of prettying herself up, seeing everyone else dressed to the nines, the beautiful ambience that the dim lights created... All these made a memorable night... And an illusion that something spectacular was going to happen.

Unfortunately, nothing ever did.

She still hoped for her own little fairy tale, though, just like silly girls who wished upon a star every night.

She grabbed her white clutch bag haphazardly to cut any other intoxicated thoughts that danced wildly in her head, and walked quickly out of her room, where her mother waited, with a digital camera in her hand, and stars in her eyes.

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In a not so far away place, inside a large lonely mansion, Van Fanel was also enumerating his top 3's. The top 3 things he *dreaded* were dances, dances, and dances. The only solace he had received from moving too often was that he had an excuse for not attending black tie events such as these. Hell, he wasn't even quite used to casual parties. To attend such a formal party was twice the poison.

Of course this time around, Van Fanel _had_ to attend the dance. Because he had a date, and he once again found it amusing how he had ever gone this far. He was to pick up the redhead in 30 minutes, holding a corsage daintily resting inside a plastic case on one hand, and placing his other hand inside his pocket, while he beheld the beauty of his date's dress.

At least that was how it happened in those chick flicks.

There was a big difference between his life and those saccharine movies though. In chick flicks, it was "guy goes with girl and they live happily ever after". In his case, "guy goes with girl, wondering if she's the one or if he was supposed to go with other girl, who goes with other guy."

Phew.

What a night this was going to be.

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By the time everyone was gathered inside the gym-turned-ballroom, the time was 9 pm and the band had started playing some songs from Rooney. As soon as the electric guitar intro of "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" pierced through the room, the couples ran to the dance floor, going crazy. Dilandau and Merle were the first to arrive at the floor and show off their moves, not caring at all that the populars had their trademark scowls plastered on their faces. Hitomi and Amano danced near them, laughing. Pretty soon, all the couples were generating a frenzy at the center of the gym.

Maybe not all.

Van and Yukari stood in one corner, the ebony-haired boy scratching his ear nervously, as Yukari enviously looked at the girls squealing on the dance floor.

A few spaces away, Coach Labariel grumbled to himself, while he helped himself to a dozen or so finger sandwiches. The track and field coach had the unfortunate task of overseeing the ball and stomaching the teenage drama of the night. He cursed at Lady Luck for giving him the shortest straw during yesterday's faculty meeting, as he got himself another glass of punch.

"Would you like some punch?" Van attempted to break the awkward silence.

Yukari could only nod as he led her to the punch bowl. It was apparent to her that Van wasn't comfortable in these types of situations, and she welcomed the change. Oftentimes, she went out with guys who were way too confident and who knew way too much about the dating scene.

After a gulp of the cool pink liquid, Van had calmed down and he was having an easy conversation with Yukari about not being able to believe that the gym could look this nice, and about how he loved Rooney almost as much as Stellar. At this point, Yukari asked who Stellar was and Van was happy enough to tell her who they were, trying to push out thoughts of a chestnut-haired runner out of his mind.

The song had ended and the students all crowded around the refreshments. Hitomi caught sight of the only couple who wasn't breathless after the song, and waved at them. Yukari ran to her, with Van following suit.

"Wow Hitomi, that dress looks so great on you!"

Hitomi blushed at the compliment. It was an adorable look, and Van mustered up all his effort not to stare. Amano seemed to find it adorable as well because he hooked his arm with hers and smiled.

"And you, Yukari, look elegant... as always! I think you've mastered the art of looking good since grade 3, when you wore those nice red shoes we all envied!"

Yukari giggled. "I remember those red shoes!"

Hitomi laughed with her and they both got lost in happy memories, while Amano and Van smirked at each other, both of them clueless about what the two girls were chatting about.

It would have been a picture-perfect scene if a certain blonde princess did not come into the scene, clearing her throat impatiently.

"Yukari? What are you doing?"

The redhead immediately looked at Millerna and her vocabulary got jumbled.

"H... Hey ..llerna!"

"Riighht... So, the girls and I were thinking about getting a pictorial of us cheerleaders, looking glamorous as always. You up for it?"

"O... Ok!"

Yukari mumbled an apology to Hitomi who could only nod in disappointment. Van looked at Hitomi and grinned uncomfortably. Hitomi returned it, still unable to look at him straight into his crimson-brown eyes.

"Um... Excuse me? Why is that person following us??"

The gym suddenly became silent after Millerna's sudden outburst. Even the band stopped playing. Coach Labariel sighed, expecting the drama to unfold.

The "person" being referred to was Van Fanel, and Yukari was frantic. She hated it when Millerna went into b*tch mode, but despised even more the fact that she was too much of a coward to stand up to her.

"LOOK, Yukari. The picture is gonna consist of us cheerleaders and Brad, and a few other guys from basketball. This guy is not from basketball, and is OBVIOUSLY not a cheerleader. Get my drift?"

Van Fanel was enraged. Did she even know who she was talking to? He was the son of a prominent family, for God's sake! It was something he neither boasted about nor disclosed, but it was certainly a source of pride for him! He was going to tell this witch off, woman or not!

Unfortunately though, he knew what it would do to Yukari's reputation, so he backed down and walked away with his fists shaking madly.

Millerna chortled whole-heartedly, and her posse mimicked her. Merle had taken out her invisible claws, ready to pounce on her, but Dilandau placed a death-hold on her. Hitomi and Amano were too shocked to move.

"Honestly, Yukari! First you hang out with that clumsy-looking track and field girl and now you take this nobody to the dance? Did you get hit in the head or something?"

That was the last straw.

A proverbial line of patience broke inside Yukari's red head.

She got the first thing she saw (which was a pan of cream pie on the refreshment table) and hit it square on the blonde's face.

Amano, who was just about to go to Millerna and defend Hitomi, stood back as Millerna trembled in annoyance. Her face was now a messy pool of cream and graham crackers and she DID NOT like the look. She stomped towards the table of pies, and moved her focus to the punch bowl just beside the pies.

Payback time.

Millerna dunked all the contents of the bowl on Yukari, ruining her perfectly made hair and staining her pastel blue dress. The coach groaned - the punch was his ONLY companion for this terrible night and she threw it all away! The nerve!

With an annoyed groan, Princess blondie pushed the redhead aside (more like shoved actually) and walked as quickly to the bathroom as her high heels could permit her, without noticing a certain tan leg sticking out of her path. She eventually acknowledged the obstacle as she ended up falling flat on her made up face.

"AAiieeeeeee!"

The head cheerleader's high-pitched shriek bounced off the walls of the gymnasium. Merle looked at her, pleased with herself. The cheerleaders gasped and surrounded Millerna, who was now obviously way past her boiling point. The blonde got up as gracefully as she could and, along with her crew, hovered over Merle. "How sad... Still trying to pay me back for stealing your geek boyfriend away? It must have been so hard for you lately, realizing that no other guy remotely finds you attractive huh, shortie? No wonder Folken was so willing to go to me seeing as..."

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

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As far as dramatic entrances could go, the blue-haired boy had it spot on. By now, everyone was looking at the newcomer, buzzing whispers to each other, a couple of "Who the hell is that" chatters, and a whole lot of confused looks.

Merle was in utter shock and completely lost for words, which was quite a change for the talkative feline-like girl.

In the end, it was Aston who spoke first, recovering from the rude interruption. She laughed. "Speak of the devil. Or more like the geek." Her robotic friends laughed along with her. If there was one thing they had learned, it was to always ALWAYS follow whatever their cheerleader captain did, on AND off the field.

Merle still could not say a coherent word, repeating on and on the first letter of the boy's name.

"F... F..."

At this point, Coach Labariel, who had been stupefied since his beloved punch bowl's incident, finally recovered from the shock and was ready to assert his authority.

"That's it! Enough of this nonsense, I deman..."

But he was too late.

Folken, the newcomer, took another cream pie off the refreshments table and tossed it in Millerna's direction. As expected, Folken was still hand-eye-coordination-challenged and the cream pie didn't hit the intended target, but instead, landed on the head of the point guard of the school's basketball team. The point guard, angered, spotted a half-eaten lasagna dish on a nearby table, and threw it at him accurately, blessed with more athletic skills.

The rest, as they say, was history. A very messy history, that Coach Labariel endured by hiding under the refreshments table.

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To describe what transpired during the food fight would be almost like dictating a caterer's menu. The punch-dunked lady threw a BLT finger sandwich towards Ms. Cream Pie's direction, which ended up on Eriya's face. Eriya retaliated with a cherry tart and an apple turnover, hitting Hitomi. Amano and Hitomi, armed with mashed potatoes and tossed salad respectively, joined the fight. Merle, Dilandau, Yukari, Van, and Folken armed themselves with as much lasagna glop as they possibly could. The other students took a bit of this and a bit of that.

The rest of the fight was a blur, but suffice to say that everyone, except Coach Labariel, was covered in delicacies by the time the refreshments were gone. Labariel crawled out from under the table, looking pristine amidst the mess of a student body, fuming mad.

"DETENTION TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU COME MONDAY! NOW CLEAN THIS MESS UP NOW BEFORE I HAVE YOU RUN AROUND THE TRACK FIELD FOR 100 LAPS!"

Millerna rolled her eyes.

"ASTON!!! AN EXTRA 2 DAYS OF DETENTION FOR YOU. EVERYONE GET TO WORK NOW!"

Millerna begrudgingly walked towards the closet muttering and cursing about broken nails, and "I don't even clean at my own house". The rest of the students, especially the track team, who were very much afraid of him, scuttered towards the broom closet.

Four people remained, giving blank looks at the coach.

One of them cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sir?"

"WHAT?!"

"Does that include us, the band? I mean we don't really study here you know."

The band members could have looked like average students at that moment. They were covered in cream, tomato sauce, blue cheese dressing, and what-not.

Labariel could only scream in frustration as he walked out of the gym. He muttered perhaps the longest string of curses anyone had ever heard.

"I need a drink, but this place has to be SPOTLESS by the time I get back."

The string of curses continued.

When his figure faded into the night, however, the students didn't cower in fear and silently clean the gym as he had expected them to. Instead, the students dropped their brooms, mops, and brushes, and a roar of laughter erupted from their lips.

If the success of the prom was a measure of how much fun they got, then the prom was a total success.

In fact, it was a huge success not only in that regard, but also in the sense of camaraderie that followed. Suddenly, the populars were laughing along with the geeks and the drama club freaks, and the nobodies, and all the other cliques. They knew that on Monday, all of this mushiness would end, and the normal high school hierarchy would ensue, but for that night, they didn't quite care.

Amidst the laughter, blue-haired boy inched towards pink-haired girl.

"Hey Merle."

Feline girl nodded in acknowledgement. "Somehow, this wasn't how I'd expected us to see each other again."

"How did you imagine it then?"

"Me holding hands with Shia LaBeouf and you crying in agony and defeat when you see us kissing?"

He smiled sadly. She was joking about it but he knew she was hurting inside.

"Or maybe something A LOT simpler. Like you ringing the doorbell to my house, apologizing profusely, and telling me you've missed me."

Her eyes went watery and she could hardly say anything after that without blubbering.

"I waited for that doorbell you know. Or even a call on my phone. Or your IM window popping out on my screen. But they never came. You just... disappeared."

He felt tortured and disgusted at himself. Why didn't he call? Why didn't he give some simple gesture to show her that he still thought of her?

That's right. Fear.

He placed his right arm over her shivering shoulders, and muttered in a most tormented voice. "I was a stupid jerk and coward. I wanted to talk to you but I was afraid you were still mad. And then, somehow, I got used to the idea that I was going to be miserable all my life. It was selfish of me - I didn't think that maybe you were miserable, too. I know nothing is ever going to fix the wrong I've caused you. But I wanted to come here tonight, because I thought that maybe I could make this dance a better experience for you than the last. It was a feeble attempt, and it was very arrogant of me to think that you'd even want to see my face again but..."

The pink-haired girl had to interrupt.

"Stop right there. Don't ever think that I never want to see your face again. Isn't it obvious by now that that's not true?"

He bit his lip. Why was she being so nice? She should slap him or punch him in the ribs or something. He did not deserve all these words...

"You know what, in another situation, I would have clawed your eyes out by now and run away in a huff..."

Was she reading his mind?

"...But today, you came here and stood up for me."

She dried her eyes with the back of her hand and giggled a bit.

"You still have a lousy aim, though."

At that point, he was in a state of pure disbelief and joy at how lucky he was. He hugged her as ferociously as he could, trying to make up for the years he was gone. She hugged back.

She hugged back!

when they finally broke off the embrace, he was going to tell her how happy he was, when he received the most painful slap on the face he had ever gotten - more painful than the last one she gave a few years ago.

She smiled evilly.

"Don't think you've gotten off so easily now, Folken."

He rubbed his cheek, looked dumbfounded for a few seconds, then proceeded to laugh, as they both went to the nearest table to catch up.

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Hitomi looked at the two a distance away and smiled.

"You did a good job, Hitomi."

She smiled an even more radiant smile.

"WE did a good job, Van. Thanks again for all the help!"

"It was nothing. Besides, it was a whole lot of fun!"

They both chortled.

A comfortable silence swept across them as their conversations often went.

"Say, Hitomi..."

But he couldn't say more. Amano appeared at the most rotten moment (probably the most perfect moment in Amano's opinion), holding two cups of water. Yukari appeared shortly after as well, having just prepped herself up in the bathroom.

oo o oooo o ooo o ooo

- to be continued -

oo o oooo o ooo o ooo 


	14. Finally

ooooooo ooo oooooooo ooooo oooooooo ooooooooo oooooo (u)(n)(e)(x)(p)(e)(c)(t)(e)(d)  
ACT 14: A lot of driving, running, and then finally...

Wow, my second to the last chapter! It's been a long but extremely fun ride. I feel kind of sentimental about it too, considering this is the first long story I will ever finish.

A shout-out to Rom and Erika! :)

July 17, 2010. This is a monumental day for me. This is the first time I've finished a long story. Feels absolutely fulfilling. Thank you so much for everyone who has read since Chapter 1, especially those who started reading years ago and have had to put up with my unusually slow updates. (To name a few - Saotoshi, zero-serenity, Rhapsody's Song, etc.). I also want to dedicate this story to everyone who has kept the Escaflowne fan fiction world alive - everyone who has written, read, commented, favorited Escaflowne fictions till now. Okay I'll stop my speech right here. I'm beginning to bore you lot. hahaha

STAY TUNED FOR AN EPILOGUE TO BE RELEASED SHORTLY AFTER THIS CHAPTER :)

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Miraculously enough, the place was spic-and-span by the time Labariel got back from an early night cap. After a lot of horsing around, the track team remembered what they had to do, and in a hysterical fit, pleaded with everyone to start cleaning the place up.

Most of the people half-heartedly went back to work, mostly just swiping the broom / mop to and fro one small spot, which just resulted in moving the goop on the floor. The populars didn't even touch the cleaning implements anymore. In the end, it was the track team plus Dilandau, Merle, Van, Yukari, and, surprisingly, the members of the band, who tidied up the place.

The coach nodded his approval after surveying the gym, and his team heaved a sigh of relief. The nod saved them AT LEAST a couple of hundred laps less than the torment he was definitely going to give them next week.

In one harumph, he told everyone it was time to go, and surprisingly, he did not find the need to bark out the command. Everyone was tired (and still a bit sticky) from the unusual prom activity they had earlier that night, and was ready to go home.

The crowd dissipated quite quickly, and there was a sparkle in each teenager's eyes as they left the gym. Even Millerna was in a great mood, and looked just as beautiful with those mascarpone cheese morsels still stuck to some of her blonde tendrils. Next week, she'd be the b*tch she really was, but tonight, she nodded at Merle and her gang of "losers", and left the place, hand in hand with Brad.

Merle and her gang of "losers" exchanged goodbyes, and walked towards the exit quietly. The night air was crisp, as Folken laced his hand with Merle's, and the couple revelled in each other's company. Hitomi smiled at the gesture and Van turned around almost at the same instance, nodding to her as if to congratulate her for a match-making job well done. He had a very playful smile on his face, which was rare for the raven-haired boy, and Hitomi returned the playfulness with a wink. They had almost forgotten they didn't go to the prom together until Yukari chimed in.

"So Tomi-chan, I'll see you in school next week?"

Hitomi grinned, "Yeah, and if you're not ashamed to talk to me, we could have lunch together."

They both giggled.

As they walked towards their cars, Amano hooked his arm on to Hitomi's and with a seriousness that betrayed the light-hearted mood of the night, asked, "Hitomi, can we go to the field for a bit before I bring you home?" She looked at him curiously. "Sure, did you leave anything?"

"No, I need to tell you something important."

With that, the two track and field runners bid their goodbye's to the other couple and walked towards the field. Van stared as their retreating forms grew smaller and smaller in front of his eyes, until they were mere dots. His heart was pounding against his chest for some reason he himself could not fully comprehend. Yukari knew what it meant though, and with a thin smile, she called Van back to Earth, who apologetically opened the door for her.

...oOo...oOo...

The drive back was anxiously quiet, and Van mentally thanked his Anberlin CD for at least weaving a bit of music into the hush.

'I need to say something in 5 seconds, or commit complete mood homicide', he chastised himself, his grip on the steering wheel tightening a bit.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

"So Van, when do you plan on admitting to yourself that you like Hitomi?"

Well, that was another way to kill the mood.

Van was startled and gripped the wheel even more tightly, not taking his eyes away from the road ahead. "I don't understand. How... Why...?"

Yukari sighed.

"You are one of the most stubbornly clueless guys I know, and it's a cute trait for a while but then it gets frustrating."

She said it in a sing-song way, as if she were berating a little kid. Perhaps it was her way of coping with the other emotions that threatened to spill over.

The car fell silent again.

A few tracks from the Anberlin CD passed and he finally pulled up into Yukari's driveway.

The redhead faced him and her date mimicked her actions.

"Van. You like Hitomi."

He doesn't deny it this time around. He is surprised at first but then he realizes it made complete sense. It was Yukari who had caught his eye that fateful day, but it was Hitomi who had caught everything else inside him in the weeks that followed. Everything was just right when he hung out with the chestnut-haired runner, and even in the most mundane things he felt a sense of contentment whenever he was around her.

"You're not denying it. That's a good first step", Yukari said.

Van shifted awkwardly.

"Hitomi likes you too, Van."

This time, he protested.

"But she's got Amano..."

"Who she might learn to love AFTER she gets over you."

"I..."

"Trust my woman instincts Fanel. And my years of experience being Hitomi's best friend". She winked, just in time to stop a tear from forming, but Van wasn't too clueless not to realize what this was doing to her.

"Yukari, I'm so sorry", guilt written clearly on his face, "Although I know my apologizing doesn't help at all. Feel free to shout at me and tell me what a jerk I am because I deserve it."

The cheerleader smiled with less tension on her jaw.

"That's the thing though, Van. You're not a jerk." She heaved a sigh. "Look, no hard feelings. It was great getting to know you but... I don't think I can stand dating a guy who didn't like pastries as much as I do anyway."

She giggled with the light tinkle that Van had noticed she possessed whenever she was genuinely happy. It croaked a bit as it mixed strangely with a hint of disappointment, but he took it as a good sign none the less, and smiled.

"You better go. Hitomi's place is a good few minutes away from mine, even if you could put a good pedal into the metal."

With a brief hug, he thanked Yukari once more, and rode his silver sedan like a man on a mission.

Yukari surprisingly felt at ease as she watched the car speed off. Perhaps because she knew that if Hitomi ever had a tinge of anger left towards her, it would all wash away once this little love story she'd helped weave comes true.

...oOo...oOo...

He stood outside Hitomi's door, hands in his pockets, as if he was trying to see if he had accidentally left his confidence in there. Driving as quickly as safety could dictate to Hitomi's place was the only plan he had in mind.

He steeled himself as he knocked on the door. The porch lights were open, so he supposed she wasn't sleeping yet.

A minute later, an older version of his friend opened the door.

"Good evening, Mrs. Kanzaki, I hope I didn't wake you up."

"No, it's fine, it's good you did. Fell asleep on the couch watching Wheel of Fortune. Van, right? What are you doing here so early? It's just midnight. I expected the prom to end in the wee hours of the morning already."

"Oh, so Hitomi's not around yet? Everyone got tired earlier than usual so we all left."

The mother nodded, "I see, well Hitomi should arrive shortly."

It surprised him how cool-headed her mother was! Wasn't she worried?

On cue, Mrs. Kanzaki piped in. "Don't worry, Amano's a good man, I've known his mother for years. And we all know Hitomi's not a party crazy teenager either."

Van smiled, but his heart was still pounding madly and he knew insanity would ensue if he just waited.

"You're right, Mrs. Kanzaki. But I'm just gonna go back to school, to make sure everything's fine."

The woman nodded appreciatively and watched as he rushed to his car and drove off. She was going to talk to Hitomi about that boy as soon as she came home.

-oo- o- -ooooo -o ooo- -o -ooo-

...oOo...oOo...

...oOo...oOo...

The Audi was parked a few feet away from the field, and the owner of the car was now just behind the fence looking for them and wondering again what the hell he was doing. He'd seen Amano's car on the way to the field, so he was positive they were still somewhere nearby, but the lack of sounds seemed to betray that theory.

It didn't take long, however, till two distant figures inched closer to him... and closer... and closer...

Hitomi and Amano were... running? Hitomi was just a few inches ahead of her senior, bottom of her dress ripped out. When she turned the curve closest to him, he could barely make out most of her face, and could almost see... tears?

And then, all of a sudden, her gracefulness was interrupted, when she lost her footing and fell, crying out a sudden yelp of pain in the process.

The raven-haired boy did not need to think twice as he yelled her name and ran towards her as fast as he could. Too fast that he had forgotten that the way to the field had a slight downhill slope, which resulted in him losing balance. He compensated by running really fast down the slope, just so he didn't end up rolling down, and he accomplished the goal. Unfortunately though, he didn't think things through and was horrible at stopping, so instead of being the knight in shining armor he envisioned himself to be, he ended up bumping into...

the damsel in distress' companion, who ended up falling on his back, with Van awkwardly on top of him.

The knight who failed his job miserably immediately stood up from the unseemly position and jogged towards the damsel. Perhaps he could still save some shred of pride from all of this?

Hitomi lay down on the ground, part of her mouth agape as she looked at Van, perplexed.

"What are you doing here?"

...oOo...oOo...

...oOo...oOo...

...oOo...oOo...

"Did I tell you how sorry I am? If I did, I'd like to say sorry again, man."

Amano placed the Slurpee cup labeled "BIG GULP" firmly on the back of his head. The trio was now parked outside a nearby 7-11, and Van had bought 4 of those giant iced beverages - three for drinking and one to soothe his victim's fall.

"Shit, I really messed up this time. I'm really sorr..."

"Fanel? I get it. You're sorry. You can stop apologizing now", the track and field captain said, a bit amused at the unexpected turn of events, amidst the dulling ache he felt on his head.

Hitomi stood dumbstruck, sitting alone on the back seat.

"I mean, seriously, I thought Hitomi was badly hurt. I heard her yelp in pain. And then before that she was already crying...?"

"Amano's heading to Europe next week. He's not even staying for his graduation."

Those words were the first few she'd spoken since the aftermath of the misunderstanding, after they'd found out Hitomi just had a cramp, and he'd finally understood everything. For old time's sake, they were racing.

And he'd ruined the whole thing.

"... Sorry."

A few minutes passed with only the soft whir of the air conditioning filling the void.

Until...

Unexpectedly, the long-haired boy broke into a fit of laughter and tried to speak amidst the chuckling.

"I just remembered the look on Van's face when he was running down that hill. It was priceless! This was the weirdest, best prom I've ever attended!"

Just like that, the mood got lighter, and even Hitomi couldn't help but join in on the amusement.

Van turned red and puffed up in fake annoyance for being laughed at. "You guys didn't look too cool either, running around like that, wearing your formal clothes with your running shoes."

Hitomi had to concede, "I have to admit - it *was* kind of stupid of us to run in our prom attire. And crap, if my mother sees my dress in ruins like this, she'd probably get pissed!"

More guffaws.

"But seriously, Van? My offer of recruiting you into our track and field still stands. You were impressively fast a while ago!"

The sight of him going full on "track and field captain" mode waving his first-aid slushie passionately with extremely serious eyes, disheveled hair, and a dusty tux was too hilarious that Van and Hitomi had to gasp for breath.

Hitomi couldn't help but add in between breaths. "That's assuming Van gets a better sense of balance and learns how to hit the brakes!"

Which just resulted in even more laughter, if that was even possible.

Horsing around could have continued forever, but Hitomi's cell phone rang and the "knight in shining armor" immediately sobered up, realizing that her mother probably was worried at that point. Sure enough, it was Mrs. Kanzaki calling, and Van immediately started up his car to head back to school where Amano's car was.

When the Audi reached the school for the umpteenth time that day, Hitomi had unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to go down the car, when Amano interrupted.

"I think Fanel should drive you home, Tomi. My head still hurts and I don't know how that's gonna affect my hand-eye coordination."

"I'm really sorry again, man. I can drive you home tonight, and then drive you to school tomorrow?"

Amano smiled. "My apartment is just 10 minutes away. I'll survive. I'll leave you two alone, it seems like you have some matters to discuss." With a suggestive shrug of the eyebrows, he went down Van's car gracefully and walked towards his car, looking back once to wave them off.

The truth was that his headache wasn't a bother, and he could have driven Hitomi to Timbuktu and back and he wouldn't have minded at all.

But that's the thing.

He would never mind doing absolutely anything for Hitomi, and that included allowing her to be with the man she clearly wanted.

So with a heavy heart, he started his ignition and drove back to his apartment. Alone.

-oo- o- -ooooo -o ooo- -o -ooo-

-oo- o- -ooooo -o ooo- -o -ooo-

As soon as the runner and the soccer player had reached Hitomi's house, the door to the Kanzaki residence swung open, and the mother, who, two hours ago was calm and talking about Wheel of Fortune, was now in a slight state of panic, wondering what had taken them so long. Seeing Hitomi's dress certainly didn't quell her nerves.

"My goodness, Hitomi! What happened to you?" She looked from Van to Hitomi and back as though she was watching an extremely quick table tennis match. Her daughter, who just a few seconds ago was sleeping soundly on the passenger seat of the Audi (much to Van's delight, as it allowed him more time to stall and figure out just what to say to her), immediately shed off her grogginess.

The chestnut haired teenager shivered. Out of fear or because of the chilly gust of wind that zoomed by, she didn't quite know. Probably a mixture of both. Instinctively, Van peeled off his Armani coat and draped it around her, earning him a look of gratitude and a blush on the cheeks.

"Well, Amano and I decided to run a few laps after the dance." She turned her attention back to the seething woman and bit her lip, expecting the worst.

The mother looked down and did, in fact, see her running shoes. Running after a dance, wearing a gown? What could they have been thinking?

"Wha? How? WHY?"

The parent had been reduced to simple syllables, unable to comprehend the whole situation. The offspring took it as a good opportunity to answer vaguely.

"We had our running shoes in our locker, but we didn't have any of our track shorts and shirt, so we had to stick to wearing our formal wear."

Knowing she was not going to get any useful explanation from her tonight, Mrs. Kanzaki switched her attention back to the man who brought her home, whose formal attire was also dusty but with no running shoes in sight.

"What took you so long to bring her home?"

He scratched the back of his head in nervousness and began an abridged version of the events that transpired in the school field, trying his best to leave out as much of the embarrassing details as possible.

By the time he finished his anecdote, the woman could not decide whether to laugh, cry, or get mad, so she opted to just call it a night. If she had known she was going to hear such a bizarre story that night, she would have skipped the Wheel of Fortune - this was enough to keep her head spinning.

Before Hitomi headed inside, she turned around and gave Van a meaningful look. Van returned a cryptic message with his eyes, pleading perhaps for some time to explain things before she went inside the house? Or relief that he can delay the inevitable explanation? His eyes flickered as both emotions bounced off inside of him, colliding with each other from time to time.

In a sudden act of impulse, the earlier emotion won and he shouted "Wait!" just a microsecond before Hitomi shut the door to her home. He stood there transfixed on the door, noting the deep red hue, the cracks, the bits of rust that clinged on the knob, trying to dispose the sense of foreboding inside him, that maybe he waited too long to explain. That maybe he was never going to get another chance with her.

She rested her back against the wall on her living room, staring up at the old gray ceiling, trying to get a grasp of the day, while steadying her thumping heart. What was she getting so worked up about? Why was she letting her hopes up?

Her mother went up to her, a tiny twinkle on her jet black eyes.

"Hitomi dear, you forgot to give him back his coat. You should return it to him."

The chestnut-haired girl jolted from her inner musings.

"Yeah... yeah... I better go... return his coat."

"Oh and Tomi-chan? Don't take too long 'returning the coat' now".

With a wink, the parent went upstairs to her bedroom for some much needed Z's.

Hitomi beamed gratefully at her and opened the door immediately. Was he still going to be there outside? He probably drove off already. At the rate he drove, he was probably a good distance away...

But he didn't drive off.

She saw him almost the same way he left him. Standing outside her door.

"Van."

There she was again, his coat neatly draped over her arms, her vibrant green eyes and smile fixed on him - reassuring, shy, unsure, curious...

"Hitomi... I..."

He was fumbling with words. How does he put it right? The movies always portrayed poetic confessions. Why couldn't he channel such a persona?

She inched closer. An invitation for him to relax.

"It should have been you."

Her eyes grew larger at those words and a deep blush started spreading across her cheeks. Could her heart beat even more maddeningly than it already has been?

He cleared his throat and continued.

"It should have been you... your house I went to early this evening. To pick you up for prom. It should have been you I was having awkwardly comfortable small conversations with."

He took a deep breath.

Just like that, her heart suddenly steadied, like a swelling, suspenseful melody that finally lulled into a peaceful denouement. It was a fitting way to describe all the unexpected events that transpired this year - all the hurt, the hopefulness, the giddiness, the simple joys - that finally lead to this one moment.

Finally.

She was now just an embrace away from him, her eyes boring into his russet ones, the warmth his body radiated enveloping her cold slender shoulders. She smiled and mimicked his words - "Yes, Van, it should have been you."

And those were all the words he needed to hear as he scooped her up in an embrace she knew she had long wanted. An embrace that he, too, had wanted all this time, but had never realized up until recently.

When they broke apart, Hitomi teasingly added.

"I thought you preferred redheads?"

He looked quizically at her, then immediately noted the humor in her tone and joined in the fun.

With an exaggerated sigh, he replied, "Ah yes, about that. Maybe we can go to a hair salon tomorrow, get your hair dyed?"

She giggled. "Sorry, no can do. I'm afraid what you see is what you get."

He smiled and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Then I'm getting more than I've ever hoped for."

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- end -

STAY TUNED FOR AN EPILOGUE TO BE RELEASED SHORTLY AFTER THIS CHAPTER :)

ooooooo ooo oooooooo ooooo oooooooo ooooooooo oooooo oo o oooo o ooo o ooo 


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